Wound healing properties of pharmaceutical gel containing isopimarane diterpene isolated from Kaempferia galanga L

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Kaempferia galanga L. rhizomes have been widely used in Thailand as medicine for treating inflammation and wound. A number of bioactive compounds have been isolated from the rhizomes of K. galanga and these compounds exhibited various pharmacological activities.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The objective of this study is to investigate the wound healing properties of gel containing 6β-acetoxysandaracopimaradiene-1α, 9α-diol (KG6), a compound from K. galanga.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

KG6 gel formulations were prepared using 1.0% carbopol 940 as gelling agent. Three KG6 gel formulations (0.10, 0.25, 0.50% w/w) were subjected to heating-cooling test to determine their physical, chemical and biological stabilities. The wound healing properties of KG6 gel formulations were performed using RAW264.7 cells for anti-inflammatory effect, while their impact on cell proliferation and migration, collagen content and H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress was examined using human dermal fibroblasts (HDF).

RESULTS

The pH, viscosity and general appearance after the heating-cooling test of the three prepared gels were stable in the acceptable range of gel formulation for skin. Gel containing 0.25% KG6 showed better chemical stability than other formulations. The 0.25% KG6 gel significantly increased cell viability (102.8%) and produced the highest HDF cell migration (91.9%) which was greater than that of Aloe vera gel (96.2, 78.4%, respectively). This gel exhibited anti-inflammatory activity via suppressing nitric oxide release and improved the viability of HDF cells against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress. The 0.25% KG6 gels also increased collagen content in HDF cells.

CONCLUSION

The gel formulation consisting of 0.25% KG6 with 1.0% of carbopol 940 was found to be a promising pharmaceutical gel for wound treatments due to marked wound healing properties.

Pharmacokinetic characterization of carnosol from rosemary (Salvia Rosmarinus) in male C57BL/6 mice and inhibition profile in human cytochrome P450 enzymes

Rosemary (Salvia Rosmarinus) is a rich source of dietary diterpenes with carnosol as one of the major polyphenols used to standardize rosemary extracts approved as a food preservative, however, at present there is not any information on the murine pharmacokinetic profile of carnosol or its potential for drug interactions. The present study utilizes cell-free, cell-based, and animal-based experiments to define the pharmacokinetic profile of the food based phytochemical carnosol. Mice were administered carnosol (100 mg/kg body weight) by oral gavage and plasma levels were analyzed by LC-MS/MS to establish a detailed pharmacokinetic profile. The maximum plasma concentration exceeded 1 μM after a single administration. The results are significant as they offer insights on the potential for food-drug interactions between carnosol from rosemary and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Carnosol was observed to inhibit selected CYP450 enzymes and modulate metabolic enzymes and transporters in in vitro assays.

Salvia miltiorrhiza stems and leaves total phenolic acids combination with tanshinone protect against DSS-induced ulcerative colitis through inhibiting TLR4/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. as a traditional Asian medicinal plant, roots and rhizomes (Danshen) are used to treat chronic hepatitis and coronary heart disease. In recent years, the medicinal value of S. miltiorrhiza stems and leaves total phenolic acids extract (JF) similar to roots and rhizomes has received increasing attention. S. miltiorrhiza roots and rhizome tanshinone extract (DT) has a good anti-inflammatory effect.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To explore the therapeutic effect and possible molecular mechanisms of JF and DT alone or in combination on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Colitis was induced by received 2% DSS in drinking water for 7 consecutive days. Then mice were administered orally for 7 days. Disease activity index (DAI) scores and body weight were recorded daily. After the end of the experiment, colon was removed, colon length was measured and histopathological analysis was performed. Inflammatory factors expression was determined by ELISA, its mRNA expression was detected by real-time quantitative PCR, and the expression of related proteins on TLR4/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal was analyzed by Western blot.

RESULTS

Treatment with JF and DT alone or in combination reduced DAI scores, increase body weight, improved colon shortening, and decreased colon histology scores. In addition, the expression level of inflammatory factors was inhibited. The combination of JF and DT had a better inhibitory effect on inflammatory factors compared to JF alone. We also found that DT alone and JF combined with DT inhibited TLR4/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling-related proteins expression levels (including TLR4, p-PI3K p110α/PI3K p110α, p-AKT (ser473)/AKT, mTOR, p-mTOR, NF-κB p65), showing an effective anti-inflammatory effect.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated for the first time that, JF and DT alone or in combination effectively ameliorated DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice, possibly by inhibiting the TLR4/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Folic acid modified lipid-bilayer coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles co-loading paclitaxel and tanshinone IIA for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia

In this work, paclitaxel (Ptx) combined with tanshinone IIA (TanIIA) was found to show synergistic effect on inducing apoptosis of human acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cell line NB₄, and the anti-tumor effect was strongest when its molar ratio was 1:1. To enhance the efficacy and reduce side effects, an active targeting drug delivery system with mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) coated with folic acid (FA) modified PEGylated lipid-bilayer (LB) membrane (FA-LB-MSNs) was established for co-loading drugs. The drug loadings of Ptx and TanIIA in FA-LB-MSNs were 5.5% and 1.8%, respectively. Compared with the uncoated MSNs, the FA-LB-MSNs showed a sustained drug release, and Ptx and TanIIA released synchronously from the carriers. By means of biological adhesion between FA and its receptors, the uptake of FA-LB-MSNs by NB₄ cells was significantly higher than that of uncoated preparations, and Ptx combined with TanIIA had strong synergistic effect to enhance the apoptosis and differentiation of NB₄ cells. The results of pharmacodynamics in vivo showed that the FA-LB-MSNs targeted tumor in nude mice more effectively than the compared formulations without FA modification. The Ptx and TanIIA-loaded FA-LB-MSNs group showed significantly better effects on inducing apoptosis and inhibiting tumor growth than the reference groups, which agreed with the results of anti-tumor experiments in vitro. Furthermore, no toxicity was observed to the heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney of the tumor-bearing animals, indicating good biocompatibility of the prepared novel nanocarriers. This study confirmed the synergistic therapeutic effect of Ptx and TanIIA on APL, and the superior of FA-LB-MSNs as co-loaded nanocarriers for active targeted therapy of tumors.

Anti-Obesity Effects of Tanshinone I from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet through Inhibition of Early Adipogenesis

Tanshinone I (Tan I) is a diterpenoid isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and exhibits antitumor effects in several cancers. However, the anti-obesity properties of Tan I remain unexplored. Here, we evaluated the anti-obesity effects of Tan I in high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obese mice and investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms in 3T3-L1 cells. HFD-induced obese mice were orally administrated Tan I for eight weeks, and body weight, weight gain, hematoxylin and eosin staining and serum biological parameters were examined. The adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was assessed using Oil Red O staining and measurement of intracellular triglyceride (TG) levels, and mitotic clonal expansion (MCE) and its related signal molecules were analyzed during early adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells. The administration of Tan I significantly reduced body weight, weight gain, and white adipocyte size, and improved obesity-induced serum levels of glucose, free fatty acid, total TG, and total cholesterol in vivo in HFD-induced obese mice. Furthermore, Tan I-administered mice demonstrated improvement of glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Treatment with Tan I inhibited the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in vitro, with this inhibition mainly occurring at an early phase of adipogenesis through the attenuation of MCE via cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase transition. Tan I inhibited the phosphorylation of p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and Akt during the process of MCE, while it stimulated the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase. Furthermore, Tan I repressed the expression of CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ), histone H3K9 demethylase JMJD2B, and subsequently cell cycle genes. Moreover, Tan I regulated the expression of early adipogenic transcription factors including GATAs and Kruppel-like factor family factors. These results indicate that Tan I prevents HFD-induced obesity via the inhibition of early adipogenesis, and thus improves glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. This suggests that Tan I possesses therapeutic potential for the treatment of obesity and obesity-related diseases.

Tanshinone IIA enhances the inhibitory effect of imatinib on proliferation and motility of acute leukemia cell line TIB‑152 in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant hematological disease. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) has antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Tan IIA in combination with imatinib (IM) on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of acute T lymphocytic leukemia TIB‑152 cells in vivo and in vitro, and analyze the potential underlying mechanism. Tan IIA and IM, alone and in combination, significantly inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of TIB‑152 cells, and promoted apoptosis; the effect of co‑treatment with Tan IIA plus IM was enhanced. IGF‑1 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of TIB‑152 cells and inhibited apoptosis, while Tan IIA treatment significantly reversed these effects. In vivo experiments demonstrated that treatment with Tan IIA and IM, alone or in combination, significantly inhibited tumor growth in TIB‑152 xenograft mice; the growth inhibition of Tan IIA plus IM was the strongest observed. Western blot analysis revealed that the combination of Tan IIA and IM resulted in significantly lower levels of p‑PI3K, p‑AKT and p‑mTOR in cells and tissues compared with the IM and Tan alone treatment groups. In addition, the combination of Tan IIA and IM significantly decreased the levels of Ki67, cleaved caspase‑3, VEGF and MMP‑9 in cells and tissues, and the level of caspase‑3 was significantly increased. Taken together, the results revealed that Tan IIA enhanced the inhibitory effect of imatinib on TIB‑152 cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and induced apoptosis, which may be associated with inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Tanshinone IIA inhibits glucose metabolism leading to apoptosis in cervical cancer

Cancer requires aerobic glycolysis to supply the energy required for proliferation. Existing evidence has revealed that blocking glycolysis results in apoptosis of cancer cells. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is a diterpenoid naphthoquinone found in traditional Chinese medicine, Danshen (Salvia sp.). Tan IIA exhibits potential anticancer activity. However, its effect on cell viability of human cervical cancer cells and its mechanism are unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of Tan IIA on proliferation and glucose metabolism in cervical cancer cells. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay, apoptosis was determined using flow cytometry and glucose uptake, lactate production, and adenosine triphosphate content were measured to assess glucose metabolism. The expression of apoptosis‑associated proteins was detected by western blotting and the antitumor activity of Tan IIA in vivo was evaluated in cervical carcinoma‑bearing mice. The results revealed Tan IIA treatment resulted in a considerable reduction in the viability of SiHa cells. Tan IIA decreased the expression of HPV oncogenes E6 and E7, induced apoptosis and also decreased glycolysis by suppressing the activity of the intracellular AKT/mTOR and HIF‑1α. In vivo, treatment with Tan IIA resulted in a 72.7% reduction in tumor volume. The present study highlights the potential therapeutic value of Tan IIA, which functions by inducing apoptosis and may be associated with inhibition of glycolysis.

Rapid Identification of Tanshinone IIA Metabolites in an Amyloid-β1-42 Induced Alzherimer's Disease Rat Model using UHPLC-Q-Exactive Qrbitrap Mass Spectrometry

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that damages health and welfare of the elderly, and there has been no effective therapy for AD until now. It has been proved that tanshinone IIA (tan IIA) could alleviate pathological symptoms of AD via improving non-amyloidogenic cleavage of amyloid precursor protein, decreasing the accumulations of p-tau and amyloid-β_1–42 (Aβ_1–42), and so forth. However, the further biochemical mechanisms of tan IIA are not clear. The experiment was undertaken to explore metabolites of tan IIA in AD rats induced by microinjecting Aβ_1-42 in the CA1 region of hippocampus. AD rats were orally administrated with tan IIA at 100 mg/kg weight, and plasma, urine, faeces, kidney, liver and brain were then collected for metabolites analysis by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Qrbitrap mass spectrometry. Consequently, a total of 37 metabolites were positively or putatively identified on the basis of mass fragmentation behavior, accurate mass measurements and retention times. As a result, methylation, hydroxylation, dehydration, decarbonylation, reduction reaction, glucuronidation, glycine linking and their composite reactions were characterized to illuminate metabolic pathways of tan IIA in vivo. Several metabolites presented differences in the distribution of tan IIA between the sham control and the AD model group. Overall, these results provided valuable references for research on metabolites of tan IIA in vivo and its probable active structure for exerting neuroprotection.

Combination of tanshinone IIA and doxorubicin possesses synergism and attenuation effects on doxorubicin in the treatment of breast cancer

Doxorubicin (Dox) is a first-line drug for breast cancer chemotherapy. However, with the prolongation of chemotherapy cycle, breast cancer cells are increasingly tempt to resist Dox, and meanwhile, high cumulative dose of Dox brings enhancing toxic side effects, and these effects may lead to chemotherapy failure. Hence, it is necessary to search an agent in combination medication with Dox, which can not only enhance the chemosensitivity of Dox but also reduce the toxic side effects. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is reported to have antitumor activity in addition to its cardiovascular protective effects. We employed human breast cancer MCF-7 and MCF-7/dox cells in order to assess whether Tan IIA might perform such function. Our in vitro studies showed that Tan IIA could enhance the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to Dox through inhibiting the PTEN/AKT pathway and downregulating the expression of efflux ABC transporters including P-gp, BCRP, and MRP1. In addition, our in vivo studies showed Tan IIA enhanced the chemotherapeutic effect of Dox against breast cancer while reducing its toxic side effects including weight loss, myelosuppression, cardiotoxicity, and nephrotoxicity. Therefore, Tan IIA could be used as a novel agent combined with Dox in breast cancer therapy.

Carnosic acid enhances the anti-lung cancer effect of cisplatin by inhibiting myeloid-derived suppressor cells

Cisplatin and other platinum-based drugs are used frequently for treatment of lung cancer. However, their clinical performance are usually limited by drug resistance or toxic effects. Carnosic acid, a polyphenolic diterpene isolated from Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), has been reported to have several pharmacological and biological activities. In the present study, the combination effect of cisplatin plus carnosic acid on mouse LLC (Lewis lung cancer) xenografts and possible underlying mechanism of action were examined. LLC-bearing mice were treated with intraperitoneal injection with cisplatin, oral gavage with carnosic acid, or combination with cisplatin and carnosic acid, respectively. Combination of carnosic acid and cisplatin yielded significantly better anti-growth and pro-apoptotic effects on LLC xenografts than drugs alone. Mechanistic study showed that carnosic acid treatment boosted the function of CD8⁺ T cells as evidenced by higher IFN-γ secretion and higher expression of FasL, perforin as well as granzyme B. In the meantime, the proportion of MDSC (myeloid-derived suppressor cells) in tumor tissues were reduced by carnosic acid treatment and the mRNA levels of iNOS2, Arg-1, and MMP9, which are the functional markers for MDSC, were reduced. In conclusion, our study proved that the functional suppression of MDSC by carnosic acid promoted the lethality of CD8⁺ T cells, which contributed to the enhancement of anti-lung cancer effect of cisplatin.

Rebuilding Postinfarcted Cardiac Functions by Injecting TIIA@PDA Nanoparticle-Cross-linked ROS-Sensitive Hydrogels

Drug-loaded injectable hydrogels have been proven to possess huge potential for applications in tissue engineering. However, increasing the drug loading capacity and regulating the release system to adapt to the microenvironment after myocardial infarction face a huge challenge. In this research, an ROS-sensitive injectable hydrogel strengthened by self-nanodrugs was constructed. A hyperbranched ROS-sensitive macromer (HB-PBAE) with multiacrylate end groups was synthesized through dynamic controlled Michael addition. Meanwhile, a simple protocol based on dopamine polymerization was employed to generate a polydopamine (PDA) layer deposited on the tanshinone IIA (TIIA) nanoparticles (NPs) formed from spontaneous hydrophobic self-assembly. The HB-PBAE reacted with thiolate-modified hyaluronic acid (HA-SH) to form an in situ hydrogel, where TIIA@PDA NPs can be conveniently entrapped through the chemical cross-link between thiolate and quinone groups on PDA, which doubles the modulus of hydrogels. The in vivo degradation behavior of the hydrogels was characterized by MRI, exhibiting a much slower degradation behavior that is markedly different from that of in vitro. Importantly, a significant improvement of cardiac functions was achieved after hydrogel injection in terms of increased ejection fraction and decreased infarction size, accompanied by inhibition of the expression of inflammation factors, such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α.

Tanshinone II improves distribution and anti-tumor efficacy of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin via normalizing the structure and function of tumor vasculature in hepa1-6 hepatoma mice model

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether the Tan II could improve the distribution and anti-tumor efficacy of Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin (PLD) via normalizing the structure and function of vasculature in Hepa1-6 hepatoma mice model.

METHODS

Hepa1-6 hepatoma-bearing mice were treated with Tan II for 14 d. Distribution and anti-tumor efficacy of PLD, and the structure and function of the tumor vasculature were evaluated using various techniques.

RESULTS

Tan II significantly reduced the micro-vessel density (MVD). After Tan II treatment, the tumor vascular walls were better structured, as the increased coverage of the pericytes and the promoted contact of the basement membrane and endothelial cell. Functional tests showed that tumor hypoxia was improved and the exudation amount of Evans blue in the parenchyma of the tumor decreased. In addition, mice treated with Tan II had greater PLD penetration distance intratumorally. Furthermore, combined therapy of Tan II and PLD significantly inhibited tumor growth.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that Tan II helps normalizing the tumor vasculature and has therapeutic potential in increasing the distribution of chemotherapy drug in the tumor.

Tanshinone sensitized the antitumor effects of irradiation on laryngeal cancer via JNK pathway

Laryngeal cancer is a common cancer occurred in the head and neck. Irradiation sensitivity is a problem affecting the treatment of laryngeal cancer. Tanshinone IIA has been reported to play an important role in treating multiple diseases; yet, whether Tanshinone IIA can be an irradiation sensitizer has not been reported. Clonogenic assay, annexin-V/propidium iodide double-staining assay, and Cell Counting Kit-8 assay were performed to detect cell survival, proliferation, apoptosis, and viability. Mouse laryngeal cancer xenograft model was established and subjected to tumor size analysis. Tanshinone IIA treatment increased the irradiation sensitivity of laryngeal cancer cells by reducing cell survival, viability and proliferation, and increasing cell apoptosis. Tanshinone IIA treatment increased the survival period of mice in the in vivo laryngeal cancer model, evidenced by decreased growth and weight of tumors, which was possibly mediated through the JNK pathway. Tanshinone IIA increases the sensitivity to irradiation in laryngeal cancer cells and in vivo laryngeal cancer model, suggesting that Tanshinone IIA can be a therapeutic antitumor agent for treating laryngeal cancer.

Seleno-compounds and Carnosic Acid Added to Diets with Rapeseed and Fish Oils Affect Concentrations of Selected Elements and Chemical Composition in the Liver, Heart and Muscles of Lambs

The objective of our studies was to investigate effects of carnosic acid (CA), selenized yeast (SeY) and selenate (SeVI) added to the diet including rapeseed oil (RO) and fish oil (FO) on concentrations of elements, fatty acids (FAs), tocopherols, cholesterol, and malondialdehyde in the liver, heart, musculus longissimus dorsi (MLD), and musculus biceps femoris (MBF) of lambs. Lambs were fed diets: group I-the basal diet (BD) with RO; group II-BD with RO and FO; group III-BD with RO, FO, and CA; group IV-BD with RO, FO, CA, and SeY; group V-BD with RO, FO, CA, and SeVI. The diets with Se compounds increased Se concentrations in all tissues compared with other diets. The diet with SeVI increased Cd, Sb, and Pb concentrations in the liver compared to groups I, II, and IV. The diets containing Se compounds increased Sb and Pb concentrations in MBF compared to groups I and II. All diets with CA reduced As, Sb, and Pb concentrations in MLD compared to groups I and II. All diets with FO increased concentrations of FAs and malondialdehyde in the liver compared to group I. All diets with FO decreased FAs concentrations in MBF compared to group I. The diets containing CA with/without Se compounds increased malondialdehyde concentrations in MBF compared to groups I and II. The diet with Se compounds reduced malondialdehyde concentrations in MLD compared to group II. All diets with FO changed concentrations of tocopherols and cholesterol in all tissues compared to group I. Our study showed that the addition of SeY or SeVI to the experimental diet increased the concentration of Se in all assayed tissues of lambs without adversely influencing performance or causing physiological disorders in internal organs. Both, SeY or SeVI added to the experimental diet decreased the oxidative stress and the concentrations of As, Sb, and Pb in MLD compared with the diets containing RO, irrespective of the presence of FO (groups I and II). Our study provides useful knowledge for nutritionists carrying out further investigations aimed at improving farm animal health, performance, and the nutritional quality of animal products for humans.

Tanshinone IIA protects against pulmonary arterial hypertension in broilers

This investigation was conducted to study the effects of tanshinone IIA (TIIA) on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in broilers. Two-hundred newly hatched Arbor Acre commercial broilers were randomly divided into 3 groups. All groups, with the exception of the control group (tap water), were given NaCl water (0.3%) starting on the d 15, and broilers in the protected group were fed a diet supplemented with TIIA (2.5 g/kg) starting on the d 15. On d 28, 35, 42, and 49, the ratio of the right ventricular weight to the total ventricular weight (RV: TV) and the values of other biochemical indicators for each group chickens were determined. The concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), nuclear factor kappa (NF-κB), and P38 (a mitogen-activated protein kinase) were measured using enzyme-linked immune sorbent assays (ELISA). The results showed that the proportion of chickens in the diseased group with an RV:TV ratio in the range of 0.250 to 0.299 (10%) was significantly higher (25 to 30%) compared to that of the other groups (P < 0.05), and the proportion in all chickens was 28%. In addition, the IL-6, IL-1β, NF-κB, and P38 protein concentrations were higher in the diseased group, whereas there were no differences between the control group and the protected group. Moreover, the measurements of body weight, liver function, kidney function and electrolytes showed significant differences between the diseased group and the other groups. These findings suggest that tanshinone IIA may protect broilers from PAH, which is an important piece of information for the poultry industry.

Protective effect of rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid against streptozotocin-induced oxidation, glycation, inflammation and microbiota imbalance in diabetic rats

This study evaluated the protective effects of two rosemary components, rosmarinic acid (RA) and carnosic acid (CA), against hypoglycemia, hyperlipidemia, oxidative stress and an imbalanced gut microbiota architecture in diabetic rats. Treatment with RA and CA (30 mg kg-1) decreased the levels of fasting plasma glucose (23.7%, 15.6%), total cholesterol (30.4%, 14.1%) and triglyceride (65.7%, 47.8%) at 15 weeks. RA and CA also exhibited an anti-oxidative and anti-glycative effect by lowering the formation of malondialdehyde and advanced glycation end products. In addition, they showed protective effects against tissue damage and inflammation in the abdominal aorta, based on microscopic observations and the analysis of protein expression. Finally, the prebiotic effects of RA and CA on gut microbiota were demonstrated by increasing the population of diabetes-resistant bacteria and decreasing the amounts of diabetes-sensitive bacteria. Overall, RA showed a stronger protective effect than CA in mitigating diabetic symptoms in rats.

Inhibitory effects of tanshinones towards the catalytic activity of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs)

CONTENTS

Danshen is a popular herb employed to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases worldwide. Danshen-drug interaction has not been well studied.

OBJECTIVE

The inhibitory effects of four major tanshinones (tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA, cryptotanshinone, and dihydrotanshinone I) on UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) isoforms were determined to better understand the mechanism of danshen-prescription drugs interaction.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vitro recombinant UGTs-catalyzed 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU) glucuronidation reaction was employed. Tanshinones (100 μM) was used to perform the initial screening of inhibition capability. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to separate 4-MU and its glucuronide. In vitro-in vivo extrapolation (IV-IVE) was employed to predict in vivo inhibition situation.

RESULTS

Cryptotanshinone inhibited UGT1A7 and UGT1A9 with IC₅₀ values of 1.91 ± 0.27 and 0.27 ± 0.03 μM, respectively. Dihydrotanshinone I inhibited UGT1A9-catalyzed 4-MU glucuronidation reaction with the IC₅₀ value of 0.72 ± 0.04 μM. The inhibition of cryptotanshinone towards UGT1A7 and UGT1A9 was best fit to competitive inhibition type, and UGT1A9 was non-competitively inhibited by dihydrotanshinone I. Using in vitro inhibition kinetic parameters (K_i) and in vivo maximum plasma concentration (C_max) of cryptotanshinone and dihydrotanshinone I, the change of area-under-the-concentration-time curve (AUC) was predicted to be 0.4-4.2%, 3.7-56.3%, and 0.6-6.4% induced by cryptotanshinone and dihydrotanshinone inhibition towards UGT1A7 and UGT1A9, respectively.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The inhibitory effects of tanshinones towards important UGT isoforms were evaluated in the present study, which provide helpful information for exploring the mechanism of danshen-clinical drugs interaction.

Antifatigue properties of tanshinone IIA in mice subjected to the forced swimming test

CONTEXT

Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is a constituent of Danshen Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Lamiaceae); however, its antifatigue activity remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To study the antifatigue properties of Tan IIA and its underlying mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In program I, three mouse groups were separately subjected to three gavages with 0, 1 and 6 mg/kg Tan IIA and forced swimming test (FST) weekly for 8 weeks; in program II, one gavage with 0, 2 and 10 mg/kg Tan IIA was administered plus FST weekly for 4 weeks. Serum glucose, lactate, superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were determined after final FST.

RESULTS

Tan IIA significantly prolonged swimming durations in program I but not in program II. Swimming times were 3208 ± 1054 and 2443 ± 1054 s for the 1 and 6 mg/kg treatments and 856 ± 292 s for the vehicle control. The two doses significantly reduced serum glucose levels (40.3 ± 8.5 and 60.0 1 ± 11.8 mg/kg) and lactate levels (61.3 ± 27.5 and 68.8 ± 8.5 mg/kg) in treated mice compared with those in control mice (137.5 ± 38.6 mg/kg and 122.7 ± 18.2 mg/kg, respectively). However, no significant differences were observed regarding SOD, MDA or BUN levels.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Tan IIA has antifatigue activity and is associated with reductions in serum glucose and lactate levels. Further studies should assess muscle hypertrophy and efficient aerobic glycolysis caused by Tan IIA. Tan IIA has potential as a pharmacological agent for fatigue resistance.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of carnosol and carnosic acid in vivo and in vitro and in silico analysis of their target interactions

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The diterpenoids carnosol (CS) and carnosic acid (CA) from Salvia spp. exert prominent anti-inflammatory activities but their molecular mechanisms remained unclear. Here we investigated the effectiveness of CS and CA in inflammatory pain and the cellular interference with their putative molecular targets.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The effects of CS and CA in different models of inflammatory pain were investigated. The inhibition of key enzymes in eicosanoid biosynthesis, namely microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 (mPGES-1) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) was confirmed by CS and CA, and we determined the consequence on the eicosanoid network in activated human primary monocytes and neutrophils. Molecular interactions and binding modes of CS and CA to target enzymes were analyzed by docking studies.

KEY RESULTS

CS and CA displayed significant and dose-dependent anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects in carrageenan-induced mouse hyperalgesia 4 h post injection of the stimuli, and also inhibited the analgesic response in the late phase of the formalin test. Moreover, both compounds potently inhibited cell-free mPGES-1 and 5-LO activity and preferentially suppressed the formation of mPGES-1 and 5-LO-derived products in cellular studies. Our in silico analysis for mPGES-1 and 5-LO supports that CS and CA are dual 5-LO/mPGES-1 inhibitors.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

In summary, we propose that the combined inhibition of mPGES-1 and 5-LO by CS and CA essentially contributes to the bioactivity of these diterpenoids. Our findings pave the way for a rational use of Salvia spp., traditionally used as anti-inflammatory remedy, in the continuous expanding context of nutraceuticals.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed section on Principles of Pharmacological Research of Nutraceuticals. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.11/issuetoc.

Tanshinone IIA sensitizes oral squamous cell carcinoma to radiation due to an enhanced autophagy

PURPOSE

Tanshinone IIA (TanIIA), which is derived from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), has multiple pharmacological activities. However, the radiosensitivezing activity of TanIIA in oral cancer cells has not been studied extensively. The purpose of this study is to investigate the radiosensitizing effects of TanIIA in human oral squamous cell carcinoma SCC090 and examined the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Clonogenic assay was used to investigate the radiosensitizing effect of TanIIA on SCC090. And then, apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by the combination of TanIIA with radiation were analyzed by Flow cytometry. Finally, autophagy was detected by monodansylcadervarine (MDC) staining.

RESULTS

TanIIA could significantly sensitize SCC090 to radiation. Meanwhile, an increase ROS generation after exposed to the combination treatment was found. In addition, the protein levels of Beclin 1, Atg5 and LC3-II, three important proteins involved in autophagy were increased in cells.

CONCLUSIONS

TanIIA exerted a strong radiosensitizing effect on SCC090 comparing with the simple drug or single radiation treatment, which was due to an enhanced ROS generation and autophagy.

Carnosic acid attenuates unilateral ureteral obstruction-induced kidney fibrosis via inhibition of Akt-mediated Nox4 expression

Fibrosis represents a common pathway to end-stage renal disease. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) plays a critical role in the progression of kidney fibrosis. In the present study, we explored the effect of carnosic acid (CA) against TGF-β-induced fibroblast activation in vitro and unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced kidney fibrosis in vivo. CA attenuated TGF-β-induced up-regulation of profibrogenic proteins, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I (COLI), fibronectin (FN), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in kidney fibroblast cells (NRK-49F). CA inhibited TGF-β-induced hydrogen peroxide generation via inhibition of NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4) expressions. In mice, CA-administration markedly mitigated the UUO-induced interstitial extension, collagen deposition, superoxide anion formation, hydrogen peroxide production, and lipid peroxidation. In addition, CA significantly attenuated the expression of α-SMA, COLI, FN, PAI-1, and Nox4 in UUO-induced kidneys. These results indicated that CA attenuated oxidative stress via inhibition of Nox4 expression in TGF-β-stimulated fibroblasts and UUO operated-kidneys, suggesting that CA may be useful for the treatment of fibrosis-related diseases.

Carnosol and Related Substances Modulate Chemokine and Cytokine Production in Macrophages and Chondrocytes

Phenolic diterpenes present in Rosmarinus officinalis and Salvia officinalis have anti-inflammatory and chemoprotective effects. We investigated the in vitro effects of carnosol (CL), carnosic acid (CA), carnosic acid-12-methylether (CAME), 20-deoxocarnosol and abieta-8,11,13-triene-11,12,20-triol (ABTT) in murine macrophages (RAW264.7 cells) and human chondrocytes. The substances concentration-dependently reduced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production in LPS-stimulated macrophages (i.e., acute inflammation). They significantly blunted gene expression levels of iNOS, cytokines/interleukins (IL-1α, IL-6) and chemokines including CCL5/RANTES, CXCL10/IP-10. The substances modulated the expression of catabolic and anabolic genes in chondrosarcoma cell line SW1353 and in primary human chondrocytes that were stimulated by IL-1β (i.e., chronic inflammation In SW1353, catabolic genes like MMP-13 and ADAMTS-4 that contribute to cartilage erosion were down-regulated, while expression of anabolic genes including Col2A1 and aggrecan were shifted towards pre-pathophysiological homeostasis. CL had the strongest overall effect on inflammatory mediators, as well as on macrophage and chondrocyte gene expression. Conversely, CAME mainly affected catabolic gene expression, whereas ABTT had a more selectively altered interleukin and chemokine gene exprssion. CL inhibited the IL-1β induced nuclear translocation of NF-κBp65, suggesting that it primarily regulated via the NF-κB signalling pathway. Collectively, CL had the strongest effects on inflammatory mediators and chondrocyte gene expression. The data show that the phenolic diterpenes altered activity pattern of genes that regulate acute and chronic inflammatory processes. Since the substances affected catabolic and anabolic gene expression in cartilage cells in vitro, they may beneficially act on the aetiology of osteoarthritis.

Tanshinone IIA promotes the proliferation of WB-F344 hepatic oval cells via Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Tanshinone IIA (TSA) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine, which has been demonstrated to protect damaged liver cells and is currently administered in the treatment of liver fibrosis. Liver precursor cells, also termed oval cells, are key in the repair of liver tissues following injury. However, whether TSA improves the function of liver cells and protects the liver from injury by enhancing the growth and proliferation of hepatic oval cells remains to be elucidated. In the present study, low to moderate concentrations of TSA were observed to stimulate proliferation, did not induce apoptosis in WB-F344 rat hepatic oval cells and the increased expression levels of β-catenin. WB-F344 cells were treated with various concentrations of TSA (0-80 µg/ml) for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. Cell proliferation was measured using a Cell Counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, a 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay and a carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) assay. The CCK-8 assay demonstrated that treatment of WB-F344 cells with 20-40 µg/ml TSA for up to 72 h significantly increased proliferation. Similar results were observed in the subsequent EdU and CFSE assays. Furthermore, a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay demonstrated that 20-40 µg/ml TSA treatment for up to 96 h did not induce apoptosis of the WB-F344 cells. Notably, the results of western blot, immunofluorescence and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses demonstrated that treatment of the WB-F344 cells with 20-40 µg/ml TSA for up to 72 h significantly increased the expression levels of β-catenin. These data indicated that TSA at concentrations between 20 and 40 µg/ml may induce WB-F344 cell proliferation by activating the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. The results of the present study suggest that TSA may be a useful natural agent to enhance repair and regeneration of the injured liver, and improve liver regeneration following orthotopic liver transplantation.

Recent insights into the biological activities and drug delivery systems of tanshinones

Tanshinones, the major lipid-soluble pharmacological constituents of the Chinese medicinal herb Tanshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza), have attracted growing scientific attention because of the prospective biomedical applications of these compounds. Numerous pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and cardio-cerebrovascular protection activities, are exhibited by the three primary bioactive constituents among the tanshinones, ie, tanshinone I (TNI), tanshinone IIA (TNIIA), and cryptotanshinone (CPT). However, due to their poor solubility and low dissolution rate, the clinical applications of TNI, TNIIA, and CPT are limited. To solve these problems, many studies have focused on loading tanshinones into liposomes, nanoparticles, microemulsions, cyclodextrin inclusions, solid dispersions, and so on. In this review, we aim to offer an updated summary of the biological activities and drug delivery systems of tanshinones to provide a reference for these constituents in clinical applications.

Carnosic acid as a major bioactive component in rosemary extract ameliorates high-fat-diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome in mice

In this study, we investigated the preventive effects of carnosic acid (CA) as a major bioactive component in rosemary extract (RE) on high-fat-diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome in mice. The mice were given a low-fat diet, a high-fat diet or a high-fat diet supplemented with either 0.14% or 0.28% (w/w) CA-enriched RE (containing 80% CA, RE#1L and RE#1H), or 0.5% (w/w) RE (containing 45% CA, RE#2), for a period of 16 weeks. There was the same CA content in the RE#1H and RE#2 diets and half of this amount in the RE#1L diet. The dietary RE supplementation significantly reduced body weight gain, percent of fat, plasma ALT, AST, glucose, insulin levels, liver weight, liver triglyceride, and free fatty acid levels in comparison with the mice fed with a HF diet without RE treatment. RE administration also decreased the levels of plasma and liver malondialdehyde, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and the liver expression of receptor for AGE (RAGE) in comparison with those for mice of the HF group. Histological analyses of liver samples showed decreased lipid accumulation in hepatocytes in mice administrated with RE in comparison with that of HF-diet-fed mice. Meanwhile, RE administration enhanced fecal lipid excretion to inhibit lipid absorption and increased the liver GSH/GSSG ratio to perform antioxidant activity compared with HF group. Our results demonstrate that rosemary is a promising dietary agent to reduce the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Carnosic acid attenuates obesity-induced glucose intolerance and hepatic fat accumulation by modulating genes of lipid metabolism in C57BL/6J-ob/ob mice

BACKGROUND

Carnosic acid (CA), a major bioactive component of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) leaves, is known to possess antioxidant and anti-adipogenic activities. In this study it was hypothesized that CA would ameliorate obesity-induced glucose intolerence and hepatic fat accumulation, and possible mechanisms are suggested.

RESULTS

It was observed that a 0.02% (w/w) CA diet effectively decreased body weight, liver weight and blood triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol levels (P < 0.05) compared with the control diet. CA at 0.02% significantly improved glucose tolerance, and hepatic TG accumulation was reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Hepatic lipogenic-related gene (L-FABP, SCD1 and FAS) expression decreased whereas lipolysis-related gene (CPT1) expression increased in animals fed the 0.02% CA diet (P < 0.05). Long-chain fatty acid content and the ratio of C18:1/C18:0 fatty acids were decreased in adipose tissue of animals fed the 0.02% CA diet (P < 0.05). Serum inflammatory mediators were also decreased significantly in animals fed the 0.02% CA diet compared with those of the obese control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that CA is an effective anti-obesity agent that regulates fatty acid metabolism in C57BL/6J-ob/ob mice.

Upregulation of microRNA135a-3p and death receptor 5 plays a critical role in Tanshinone I sensitized prostate cancer cells to TRAIL induced apoptosis

Though tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been used as a potent anticancer agent, TRAIL resistance is a hot-issue in cancer therapy. We investigated the antitumor mechanism of Tanshinone I to sensitize prostate cancer cells to TRAIL. Comibination of Tanshinone I and TRAIL exerted synergistic cytotoxicity, increased cleaved PARP, sub G1 population, the number of TUNELpositive cells, activated caspase 8, 9 and ROS production in PC-3 and DU145 cells. Of note, combination of Tanshinone I and TRAIL enhanced the protein expression of death receptor 5 (DR5) and attenuated anti-apoptotic proteins. RT-PCR and RT-qPCR analyses confirmed that co-treatment of Tanshinone I and TRAIL up-regulated DR5 and microRNA 135a-3p at mRNA level or activity of DR5 promoter and attenuated phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinases in PC-3. Conversely, the silencing of DR5 blocked the increased cytotoxicity, sub G1 population and PARP cleavages induced by co-treatment of Tanshinone I and TRAIL. Interestingly, miR135a-3p mimic enhanced DR5 at mRNA, increased PARP cleavage, Bax and the number of TUNEL positive cells in Tanshinone I and TRAIL cotreated PC-3. Overall, our findings suggest that Tanshinone I enhances TRAIL mediated apoptosis via upregulation of miR135a-3p mediated DR5 in prostate cancer cells as a potent TRAIL sensitizer.

[Simultaneous determination of six Salvia miltiorrhiza gradients in rat plasma and brain by LC-MS/MS]

To develop a LC-MS/MS method for the determination of protocatechuic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, cryptotanshinone and tanshinone II(A) in rat plasma and brain. The plasma and brain samples were precipitated with ethyl acetate, then were separated on an Agilent eclipse plus-C18 column (2.1 mm x 50 mm, 3.5 microm) using acetonitrile (consisting of 0.1% formic acid) and water (consisting of 0.1% formic acid) as mobile phase in gradient elution mode. The mass spectrometer was operated under both positive and negative ion mode with the ESI source, and the detection was performed by MRM. The transition of 154.3/153.1 m/z for protocatechuic acid, 137.3/108 m/z for protocatechuic aldehyde, 493.0/295.2 m/z for Salvianolic acid A, 718.0/520.0 m/z for salvianolic acid B, 321.4/152.3 m/z for chloramphenicol, 297.4/254.3 m/z for cryptotanshinone, 295.5/249.3 m/z for tanshinone II(A) and 285.2/154.0 m/z for Diazepam. The calibration curves in the range of 0.625-1 000 microg x L(-1) for protocatechuic acid and protocatechuic aldehyde, 1.25-1 000 microg x L(-1) for salvianolic acid A, 2.5-1 000 microg x L(-1) for salvianolic acid B, 0.15-1 000 microg x L(-1) for cryptotanshinone, 0.625-1 000 microg x L(-1) for tanshinone II(A) are with good linearityin rat plasma and brain. The analysis method is sensitive, simple, and suitable enough to be applied in the pharmacokinetic study of the 6 main components. Animal testing gives the lgBB of the drugs and further studies of the 6 components cross the blood-brain barrier can be carried out.

[Effect of tanshinone II(A) on expression of different components in renin-angiotensin system of left ventricles of hypertensive rats]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of tanshinone II(A) on the expression of different components in the renin-angiotensin system of left ventricles of renal hypertensive rats.

METHOD

The renal hypertension model was established in rats by the two-kidney-one-clip (2K1C) method. In the experiment, all of the rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 15 per group) before the operation: the sham-operated (Sham) group, the hypertensive model (Model) group, the low-dose tanshinone II(A) group and the high-dose tanshinone II(A) group. At 5 week after the renal artery narrowing, the third and fourth groups were administered with 35 mg kg(-1) x d(-1) and 70 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) of tanshinone II(A), respectively. The blood pressure in rats was determined by the standard tail-cuff method in each week after the operation. After the drug treatment for 8 weeks, all the rats were put to death, and their left ventricles were separated to determine the ratio of left ventricle weight to body weight (LVW/BW), the myocardial collagen content, and the expressions of different components in myocardial RAS, including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), angiotensin 1-type receptor (AT1R), Mas receptor mRNA expression and angiotensin II (Ang II) and angiotensin (1-7) [Ang (1-7)] content.

RESULT

Compared with the sham group, the hypertensive model group exhibited a markable increase in the content of Ang II and Ang (1-7) and the mRNA expressions of ACE, ACE2, AT1R and Mas (P < 0.01). However, the treatment with tanshinone II(A) showed the does dependence, inhibited left ventricle hypertrophy, decreased myocardial Ang II content and the mRNA expression of ACE and AT, R in renal hypertensive rats (P < 0. 01) , further increased the myocardial Ang (1-7) content and the mRNA expression of ACE2 and Mas (P < 0.01) , but without any change in the blood pressure of hypertensive rats.

CONCLUSION

The treatment with tanshinone II(A) could inhibit left ventricle hypertrophy of renal hypertensive rats. Its mechanism may be partially related to the expression of different components in the renin-angiotensin system for regulating myocardial tissues.

Enhancement of doxorubicin cytotoxicity by tanshinone IIA in HepG2 human hepatoma cells

Chlorogenic acid (1), salvianolic acid B (2), and tanshinone IIA (3) are commonly used as chemoprotective agents for chemotherapy in cancer patients. The present study deals with the effect of these three compounds on cytotoxicity of doxorubicin in HepG2 cells. The results showed that 1 and 2 reduced the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin through scavenging ROS generated by doxorubicin in HepG2 cells. The findings suggest that 1 and 2 could enhance the expression of SOD and decrease that of NADPH oxidase, which resulted in the elimination of ROS. On the contrary, 3 enhanced the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, drug interactions between doxorubicin and 3 produce synergistic effects in HepG2 cells.

[The influence of spray drying process conditions on physical, chemical properties and lung inhaling performance of Panax notoginseng saponins - tanshinone II A composite particles]

This study is to report the influence of conditions in spray drying process on physical and chemical properties and lung inhaling performance of Panax notoginseng Saponins - Tanshinone II A composite particles. According to the physical and chemical properties of the two types of components within the composite particles, three solvent systems were selected including ethanol, ethanol : acetone (9 : 1, v/v) and ethanol : acetone (4 : 1, v/v), and three inlet temperature: 110 degrees C, 120 degrees C, 130 degrees C to prepare seven different composite particle samples; each sample was characterized using laser diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic vapour sorption (DVS) and atomic force microscope (AFM), and their aerodynamic behavior was evaluated by a Next Generation Impactor (NGI). The results indicate that under the conditions of using the mixed solvent system of ethanol--acetone volume ratio of 9 : 1, and the inlet temperature of 110 degrees C, the resulting composite particles showed rough surface, with more tanshinone II A distributing in the outer layer, such composite particles have the best lung inhaling performance and the fine particle fraction (FPF) close to 60%. Finally it is concluded that by adjusting the conditions in co-spray drying process, the distribution amount and existence form of tanshinone II A in the outer layer of the particles can be changed so that to enhance lung inhaling performance of the drug composite particles.

Hydroalcoholic extract of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and its constituent carnosol inhibit formalin-induced pain and inflammation in mice

The anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive properties of Rosmarinus officinalis L. (ROL) extract and its major constituent, carnosol in male NMRI mice (W:25-30 g) have been evaluated in the present study. Formalin (2%, 20 microL) was injected into the plantar portion of the hind paw and resulting pain and inflammation was studied for 60 min. The plant extract, carnosol and other drugs were administered intraperitoneally or subcutaneously 30 min before formalin injection. In a separate experiment, the effects of the extract and carnosol on plasma corticosterone levels and activity of the enzymes cyclooxygenase type 1 and 2 (COX1 and COX2) were investigated. Injection of different doses of ROL and carnosol reduced pain in the phase 2 of the formalin test, which was not inhibited by naloxone and/or memantine. In addition, pretreatment of the animals with ROL and/or carnosol reduces the formalin-induced inflammation. Furthermore, the extract and carnosol did not affect plasma corticosterone levels compared with the control group. Interestingly, both the extract and carnosol inhibited COX1 and COX2 activity. It could be concluded that ROL extract and carnosol suppressed pain and inflammation induced by formalin injection, which may be due to inhibition of COX1 and COX2 enzymes activity.

Novel multiple agents loaded PLGA nanoparticles for brain delivery via inner ear administration: in vitro and in vivo evaluation

The aim of this study was to develop novel multiple agents loaded poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) and evaluate their potential for brain delivery via inner ear administration. PLGA NPs loaded with salvianolic acid B (Sal B), tanshinone IIA (TS IIA) and panax notoginsenoside (PNS) were prepared by double emulsion/solvent evaporation method. It was observed that optimized NPs displayed satisfactory encapsulation efficiency and desired sustained-release characteristics. NPs following intratympanic administration (IT) in guinea pigs greatly improved drug distribution within the inner ear, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and brain tissues compared with intravenous administration (IV). Pharmacodynamic studies demonstrated that NPs following IT markedly inhibited oxidizing reactions and protected the brain from cerebral ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury by upregulating superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity both in serum and brain tissues, simultaneously significantly reducing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Moreover intratympanic delivery did not cause injury of cochlear function by preliminary study on the toxicity. These findings suggested that PLGA NPs-based delivery system via inner ear administration was a promising candidate to brain delivery for the treatment of brain diseases.

[Pharmacokinetic study on three main ingredients of refined coronary cataplasm]

OBJECTIVE

To establish a LC-MS/MS method for determining the concentration of tanshinone IIA, salvianolic acid B and paeoniflorin of refined coronary cataplasm in rabbit plasma, in order to determine the concentration of the three main ingredients in blood after transdermal administration and calculate their pharmacokinetic parameters.

METHOD

Rabbits were given refined coronary cataplasm on the basis of 15 g x kg(-1) by transdermal administration to detect the plasma concentration of the three main ingredients using LC-MS/MS. Winnonlin software was used to calculate their major pharmacokinetic parameters.

RESULT

Tanshinone IIA, salvianolic acid B and paeoniflorin showed good linearity (r>0.999) at 1-100, 50-1 000, 10-1 000 microg x L(-1) respectively in plasma, with average recovery rate of 96.57%, 91.90%, 95.93%, respectively. The RSD within day were less than 15%. After transdermal administration of refined coronary cataplasm in rabbits, the main pharmacokinetic parameters of tanshinone IIA, salvianolic acid B or paeoniflorin were as follows: Cmax (20.85 +/- 12.68), (636.25 +/- 386.91), (787.80 +/- 395.64) microg x L(-1); Tmax (0.49 +/- 0.28), (0.44 +/- 0.27), (0.46 +/- 0.30) h.

CONCLUSION

The LC-MS/MS method is highly selective and sensitive to determine the concentration of samples in rabbit plasma. The pharmacokinetic characteristics of tanshinone IIA, salvianolic acid B and paeoniflorin are suitable to assess the percutaneous absorption of refined coronary cataplasm.

Acetate supplementation reduces microglia activation and brain interleukin-1β levels in a rat model of Lyme neuroborreliosis

BACKGROUND

We have found that acetate supplementation significantly reduces neuroglia activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine release in a rat model of neuroinflammation induced with lipopolysaccharide. To test if the anti-inflammatory effect of acetate supplementation is specific to a TLR4-mediated injury, we measured markers of neuroglia activation in rats subjected to B. burgdorferi-induced neuroborreliosis that is mediated in large part by a TLR2-type mechanism.

METHODS

In this study, rats were subjected to Lyme neuroborreliosis following an intravenous infusion of B. burgdorferi (B31-MI-16). Acetate supplementation was induced using glyceryl triacetate (6g/kg) by oral gavage. Immunohistochemistry, qPCR, and western blot analyses were used to measure bacterial invasion into the brain, neuroglial activation, and brain and circulating levels of interleukin 1β. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by a Tukey's post hoc tests or using a Student's t test assuming unequal variances when appropriate.

RESULTS

We found that acetate supplementation significantly reduced microglia activation by 2-fold as determined by immunohistochemical and western blot analysis. Further, acetate supplementation also reduced the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β by 2-fold as compared to controls. On the other hand, the inoculation of rats with B. burgdorferi had no effect on astroglial activation as determined by immunocytochemistry and western blot analysis despite significant increases in circulation levels of antigen toward B. burgdorferi and presence of the bacteria in the central nervous system.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that microglial activation is an essential component to neuroborreliosis and that acetate supplementation may be an effective treatment to reduce injury phenotype and possibly injury progression in Lyme neuroborreliosis.

[Study on regulation of tanshinone II(A) on GFAP and ATPase and PDI of cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the neuroprotective effect of tanshinone II(A) (Tan II(A)) on the expression of brain tissue glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) and protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) of cerebral ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury of different time in rats, and investigate the neuroprotective and its molecular mechanism of Tan II(A) on brain injury.

METHODS

Sixty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly devided into eight groups (n = 8 per group): Group 1, sham-operated animals without I/R; Group 2, animals with I/R of 3 days; Group 3, animals with I/R of 7 days; Group 4, animals with I/R of 7 days and treatment with low doses of Tan II(A); Group 5, animals with IR of 7 days, treated with high doses of Tan II(A); Group 6, animals with I/R of 15 days; Group 7, animals with IR of 15 days and low doses of Tan II(A) treatment; Group 8, animals with I/R of 15 days, treated with high doses of Tan II(A). The model of focal middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was established by suture-occluded method. After Tan II(A) treatment, pathological changes of brain tissue in all groups were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) and the expression levels of GFAP, ATP and PDI by immunohistochemistry staining.

RESULTS

(1) The pathological changes of ischemic injury in low and high dose of Tan II(A) treatment groups were lighter than those in I/R groups, and so were in high dose of Tan II(A) treatment group than in low dose Tan II(A) treatment group. (2) Compared with sham-operated group, expression levels of GFAP in the three different I/R groups increased evidently, while the levels in high dose of Tan II(A) treatment groups were relatively low (P < 0.05). There was no statistically difference between high dose of Tan II(A) treatment group and low dose of Tan II(A) treatment group in either 7 or 15 days treatment groups (P > 0.05). (3) Compared with sham-operated group, expression levels of ATPase and PDI in the three different I/R groups all decreased clearly; Compared with I/R groups, expression levels of ATPase and PDI in Tan II(A) treatment groups increased in the ischemic territory obviously (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Tan II(A) may have a neuroprotective effect on ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting the production of GFAP to reduce the excessive inflammatory response produced by glial cells in brain and up-regulating the activities of ATPase and PDI in neurons to improve the balance of energy metabolism and maintain the intracellular homeostasis.

Tanshinone IIA-loaded reconstituted high density lipoproteins: Atherosclerotic plaque targeting mechanism in a foam cell model and pharmacokinetics in rabbits

Spherical and discoidal tanshinone IIA-loaded reconstituted high density lipoproteins (TA-rHDL) with different formulations and techniques were prepared and characterized. The targeting mechanism was investigated using a foam cell model. Pharmacokinetics of four TA-rHDL formulations with or without apolipoproteins (apos) after a single dose intravenous injection to rabbits has been studied. The results showed that the sizes of spherical and discoidal TA-rHDL increased after coupling with apos from 55.38 nm to 157.26 nm, 61.03 nm to 166.19 nm, and zeta potential decreased from -29.2 mV to -35.4 mV, -5.2 mV to -11.82 mV, respectively. The results of circular dichroic spectroscopy indicated variations of apos in protein secondary structure after binding with lipids. Phagocytosis tests demonstrated that the spherical TA-rHDL had a targeting effect for foam cells through the scavenger receptor-BI and CE-TG interchange with TG-rich lipoproteins pathway under cholesteryl ester transfer protein. Discoidal TA-rHDL could reconstruct to spheres and target via a similar route as TA-rHDL spheres, showing a higher targeting efficiency. In vivo experiments showed that areas under the plasma level-time curve (AUC) of TA increased as a function of spherical and discoidal rHDL, which were 4 and 13 times more than that of TA suspensions, respectively. Spherical and discoidal TA-rHDL had long circulating times in blood with mean residence time (MRT) of 15.874 and 18.956h, respectively, compared to 1.802h of TA suspensions, 14.190h of spherical TA-rHDL without apos and 15.071 of discoidal TA-rHDL without apos. The distribution volume of spherical TA-rHDL was 2.143 and 1.552 times as that of discoidal TA-rHDL and TA suspensions, respectively. In conclusion, TA-rHDL may be a long-circulating, healthy and potentially targeted carrier for delivering lipophilic cardiovascular drugs.

Effects of heat and ultraviolet radiation on the oxidative stability of pine nut oil supplemented with carnosic acid

The effects of carnosic acid (CA) of different concentrations (0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 mg/g) and two common antioxidants (butylated hydroxytoluene and α-tocopherol) on oxidative stability in pine nut oil at different accelerated conditions (heating and ultraviolet radiation) were compared. The investigation focused on the increase in peroxide and conjugated diene values, as well as free fatty acid and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. The changes in trans fatty acid and aldehyde compound contents were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, while the changes in pinolenic acid content were monitored by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results show that CA was more effective in restraining pine nut oil oxidation under heating, UV-A and UV-B radiation, in which a dose-response relationship was observed. The antioxidant activity of CA was stronger than that of α-tocopherol and butylated hydroxytoluene. Pine nut oil supplemented with 0.2 mg/g CA exhibited favorable antioxidant effects and is preferable for effectively avoiding oxidation.

Anti-inflammatory activities of 6β-acetoxy-7α-hydroxyroyleanone from Taiwania cryptomerioides Hayata ex vivo and in vivo

Excess production of nitric oxide (NO) by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in activated macrophages is linked to acute and chronic inflammation. Thus, it would be valuable to develop inhibitors of NO production and/or iNOS for potential therapeutic use. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of 6β-acetoxy-7α-hydroxyroyleanone (AHR), a compound isolated from the bark of Taiwania cryptomerioides Hayata, using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse macrophage (RAW 264.7) ex vivo and carrageenan (Carr)-induced mouse paw edema model in vivo. When RAW 264.7 macrophages were treated with different concentrations of AHR (0, 0.31, 0.62, 1.25, and 2.50 μg/mL) together with LPS (100 ng/mL), a significant concentration-dependent inhibition of NO production was detected. Western blotting revealed that AHR blocked protein expression of iNOS and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, significantly. In the anti-inflammatory test, AHR (1.25 and 2.50 mg/kg) decreased paw edema at 4 and 5 h after λ-carrageenan (Carr) administration and increased the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the liver tissue. It was also demonstrated that AHR significantly attenuated the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the edema paw at 5 h after Carr injection. AHR (0.62, 1.25, and 2.50 mg/kg) decreased the NO levels on both edema paw and serum at 5 h after Carr injection. Also, AHR diminished the serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) at 5 h after Carr injection. Western blotting revealed that AHR (2.50 mg/kg) decreased Carr-induced iNOS and COX-2 expressions at 5 h in the edema paw. An intraperitoneal (ip) injection treatment with AHR also diminished neutrophil infiltration into sites of inflammation, as did indomethacin (Indo). The anti-inflammatory activities of AHR might be related to the decrease in the levels of MDA, iNOS, and COX-2 in the edema paw and to the increase in the activities of CAT, SOD, and GPx in the liver through the suppression of TNF-α and NO.

[Study on the pharmacokinetics of tashinone II(A) -loaded polylactic acid nanoparticles in rabbit]

OBJECTIVE

To establish a HPLC method for measuring tashinone II(A) concentration in rabbit plasma and study the pharmacokinetics of tashinone II(A) -loaded polylactic acid nanoparticles and tashinone II(A) injection in rabbits.

METHODS

A single dose of TS-PLA-NP and TS II(A) injection was administered to 8 healthy rabbits via the ear-edge vein, at the set time withdrew the blood and prepared. The concentrations of tashinone II(A) in plasma were measured by HPLC with gemfibrozil as the internal standard. The pharmacokinetic parameters of TS-PLA-NP and tashinone II(A) injection were calculated by program DAS2.0.

RESULTS

The average retention times of gemfibrozil and tashinone II(A) were 10.5 and 14.5 min, respectively. The half-life was prolonged from 2. 573 h of free tashinone II(A) to 4. 117 h and MRT(0-infinity) from 2.585 h to 6.033 h. The max concentration of tashinone II(A) was reduced from 0.21 to 0.134 mg/L.

CONCLUSION

The method for the pharmacokinetic research of tshinone II A in rabbit plasma is accuracy, rapid and sensitive. TS-PLA-NP shows significant characteristic of delayed-release.

Absorption, distribution and elimination of carnosic acid, a natural antioxidant from Rosmarinus officinalis, in rats

The absorption, distribution and elimination of carnosic acid, the main antioxidant found in rosemary was studied, in vivo, in rats. Therefore, carnosic acid was administrated in a single dose, intravenously (20.5 ± 4.2 mg/kg) and orally (64.3 ± 5.8 mg/kg), to four and nine rats, respectively. Blood samples were collected at different time points, and plasma concentrations of carnosic acid were determined using LC-MS. Furthermore, total collection of urine and feces was done during 4 h and 24 h for the intravenous and oral administrations, respectively. After euthanizing the rats, intestinal content, liver and muscle tissue were sampled to determine carnosic acid concentrations. The bioavailability of carnosic acid, after 360 min, was 40.1%. Traces of carnosic acid were found in the rats intestinal content, liver and muscle tissue of abdomen and legs. The recovery of carnosic acid in the feces, 24 h after oral administration, was 15.6 ± 8.2%. Carnosic acid is absorbed into the bloodstream after oral administration in rats and is therefore bioavailable. It was found that carnosic acid in vivo is present in its free form and that its main elimination route is the fecal route.

Triple therapy with ecabet sodium, amoxicillin and lansoprazole for 2 weeks as the rescue regimen for H. pylori infection

BACKGROUND/AIM

Ecabet sodium has an anti-H. pylori effect. We assessed the efficacy of ecabet sodium in the rescue therapy for the eradication of H. pylori.

METHODS

A total of 74 patients with failed eradication of H. pylori after triple therapy with lansoprazole 30 mg bid, amoxicillin 750 mg bid and clarithromycin 200 mg bid were enrolled. They were randomly assigned to the three treatment groups as follows: LAC, lansoprazole 30 mg + amoxicillin 750 mg + clarithromycin 200 mg bid for 1 week; LAC2E, lansoprazole 30 mg bid + amoxicillin 750 mg bid + clarithromycin 200 mg bid + ecabet sodium 2 g bid for 1 week; and LA2E, lansoprazole 30 mg bid + amoxicillin 750 mg bid + ecabet sodium 2 g bid for 2 weeks. Eradication of H. pylori was assessed by the 13C-urea breath test after treatment.

RESULTS

Eradication rates in intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses were 20.0% (95% CI: 6.8-40.7) and 20.0% (6.8-40.7) with LAC, respectively, and 16.0% (4.5-36.1) and 17.4% (5.0-38.8) with LAC2E. In contrast, respective rates with LA2E were 75% (53.3-90.2) and 85.7% (63.7-97.0), which were significantly higher than those with LAC (p<0.001 for both ITT and PP) and LAC2E (p<0.001 for both ITT and PP).

CONCLUSION

Triple therapy with ecabet sodium, lansoprazole and amoxicillin for 2 weeks was effective as the rescue therapy after failure of the standard clarithromycin-based regimen.

[Preparation and in vitro evaluation of tanshinone IIA pulsatile release pellets]

OBJECTIVE

To develop pulsatile release pellets using tanshinone II as model drug and evaluate their properties in vitro.

METHODS

The tanshinone II pusatile release pellets with rupturable coatings were prepared by fluid bed. Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), low-substituted hydroxy propyl cellulose (L-HPC)/HPMC, and HPMC/Sureleae were used as swelling agents respectively, and aqueous ethylcellulose dispersion Surelease as the material of controlled layer. Dissolution experiments were employed to evaluate the effects of different swelling agents and weight gain of each coating layer. Cross-sections of pellets with different swelling agents were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The release profiles of tanshinone II from the coated pellets were fitted into various mathematic models.

RESULTS

Pellets with HPMC or L-HPC/HPMC as swelling agents could not present a significant release lag time. However, the pellets with the mixture of HPMC and Surelease as swelling agents could. As the ratio of Surelease increased in swelling layer, the lag time could be extended. As to the controlled layer, the thicker the controlled layer, the longer the lag time could be. When the controlled layer was coated by 30%-40% weight gains, 3-5 h lag time was realized. The fitted model suggested that first order equation could explain the drug release from tanshinone II pulsatile release pellets.

CONCLUSION

Using HPMC/Surelease mixture as swelling agents, and Surelease as the material of controlled layer, tanshinone II pulsatile release pellets with 3-5 h lag time were successfully prepared.

Stealth tanshinone IIA-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles: effects of poloxamer 188 coating on in vitro phagocytosis and in vivo pharmacokinetics in rats

Stealth tanshinone IIA-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (TA-SSLNs) have been prepared and the influence of poloxamer 188 coating on in vitro phagocytosis and in vivo pharmacokinetics in rats were evaluated. TA-SSLNs have been prepared by a nanoprecipitation/solvent diffusion method. Poloxamer 188 was used as a stealth agent. The physicochemical parameters of TA-SSLNs were characterized in terms of particle size, zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy and stability. In vitro, phagocytosis was investigated by incubating TA-SSLNs and non-stealth tanshinone IIA-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (TA-NSLNs) with murine macrophages. In vivo, pharmacokinetics of TA-SSLNs and TA-NSLNs after a single dose intravenous injection to rat has been studied. The control was tanshinone IIA solution (TA-SOL). The results showed that TA-SSLNs had an average diameter of (91.3 +/- 3.4) nm, zeta potential of (-19.7 +/- 1.6) mV, drug loading of (4.7 +/- 0.5) % and entrapment efficiency of (92.5 +/- 2.1) %. Phagocytosis studies showed significant differences between TA-SSLNs and TA-NSLNs and demonstrated that the poloxamer 188 coating could decrease the macrophage uptake. In vivo experiments showed that the plasma concentration data of TA-SSLNs, TA-NSLNs and TA-SOL were all fitted to a two-compartment model. Areas under curve (AUCs) of TA-NSLNs and TA-SSLNs were 1.28 and 3.70 times than that of TA-SOL, respectively. TA-SSLNs had generated a long circulating time in blood with a mean residence time (MRT) of 5.286 h, compared to 3.051 h of TA-NSLNs and 0.820 h of TA-SOL. Poloxamer 188 modification on solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) reduced opsonization by serum proteins and the macrophage uptake. AUC of tanshinone IIA increased as a function of SLNs. In addition, TA-SSLNs exhibited much longer circulation lifetimes for tanshinone IIA than TA-NSLNs. The pharmacokinetic behavior of the incorporated drug can be modified by changing the surface characteristics of SLNs with the use of poloxamer 188.

Comparison of an ecabet sodium and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) combination therapy with PPI alone in the treatment of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)--induced ulcers in early gastric cancer: prospective randomized study

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Ecabet sodium (ES) is a widely employed mucoprotective agent, for the treatment of gastric ulcers. The present paper prospectively evaluate the additive benefits of using ES in combination with the rabeprazole proton pump inhibitor (PPI) for the treatment of gastric ulcers after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).

METHODOLOGY

A total of 56 patients who had undergone ESD for early gastric cancers were randomly assigned to receive either PPI with ES (P/ES group, n=28) or PPI alone (PPI group, n=28) for 8 weeks. At 4 and 8 weeks after ESD, the healing rate and the diminution rate of the ulcers were compared between two groups by endoscopy.

RESULTS

One patient in the PPI group developed a hemorrhage as a result of an ESD-induced ulcer. At 4 weeks, the healing rates were significantly higher in the P/ES group (40.7%) compared with the PPI group (11.5%), (p = 0.0013). This tendency was observed also at 8 weeks (p = 0.0446). In addition, at 4 weeks, the diminution rates of the ESD-induced ulcers were significantly higher in the P/ES group (95.8%) than in the PPI group (84.9%), (p=0.0033).

CONCLUSIONS

ES in combination with PPI facilitates increased healing of ESD-induced ulcers, and can also improve the quality of ulcer healing.

Drug evaluation: TA-2711E in the treatment of active distal ulcerative colitis

Tanabe AAI LLC, a joint venture between Tanabe Seiyaku Co. Ltd. and aaiPharma Inc., is developing TA-2711E, an enema formulation of Tanabe's mucosal protectant ecabet, for the potential treatment of ulcerative colitis. By July 2004, phase III trials for ulcerative colitis had been initiated in Japan and phase II studies were ongoing in Europe and the U.S.; this remained the case in May 2006.

Ecabet sodium prevents esophageal lesions induced by the reflux of gastric juice in rats

We investigated the effect of ecabet sodium (ecabet) on rat acute esophageal lesions induced by reflux of gastric juice. Ligation of both pylorus and fore-stomach induced the reflux of gastric juice, decreased the amount of mucus and formed hemorrhagic lesions in the esophageal mucosa. Intragastric injection of ecabet reduced the pepsin activity and prevented both the decrease of mucus amount and formation of lesions. Ecabet enhanced the reduction in lesion formation induced by omeprazole and ranitidine without a change in decreased acid concentration and pepsin activity. Digestion of mucosa and the reduction in mucus were prevented by ecabet in the everted HCl and pepsin treated esophageal sac. These results indicate that ecabet prevents esophageal lesions by inhibiting pepsin activity as well as by protecting mucus from degradation. These further implicate the therapeutic potential of ecabet for prevention/treatment of GERD, especially in combination with a proton pump inhibitor or H(2)-antagonist.

Discovery of anticonvulsant activity of abietic acid through application of linear discriminant analysis

Linear discriminant analysis was performed to derive discriminant functions based on 2D descriptors and capable of classifying anticonvulsant from non-anticonvulsant compounds. Through application in virtual screening of the discriminant function which performed best in the validation steps, abietic acid was identified as a potential new anticonvulsant agent. The anticonvulsant activity of abietic acid at 30 and 100mg/kg was confirmed in the Maximal Electroshock Test, both orally and intraperitoneally.

Novel cytotoxic seco-abietane rearranged diterpenoids from Salvia prionitis

Six novel 4,5-seco-rearranged abietane diterpenoids, including one tetracyclic diterpenoid, prionoid A (1), two tricyclic diterpenoids, prionoids B (2) and C (3), and three dicyclic diterpenoids, prionoids D (4), E (5), and F (6), were isolated from the roots of Salvia prionitis Hance (Labiatae). Their structures were elucidated using spectroscopic analysis. The structure of 1 was further confirmed by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction determination. Moreover, it was found that 4 (IC50 = 0.41 microM) and 5 (IC50 = 0.72 microM) showed significant cytotoxic activity against P-388 and A-549 cell lines, respectively.

Therapeutic effects of ecabet sodium, an antiulcer drug, on dextran sodium sulfate-induced ulcerative colitis in rats

Ecabet, an antiulcer drug, is reported to be effective in patients with ulcerative colitis. We investigated the effect of ecabet enema on ulcerative colitis in rats and some mechanisms underlying this effect. In vivo ecabet enema showed a therapeutic effect in the rat ulcerative colitis model induced by dextran sodium sulfate in the drinking water. The amount of ecabet bound to damaged mucosa was higher than that bound to normal mucosa 30 min after intrarectal administration. In vitro ecabet accelerated the restitution of epithelial cells, which was not affected by a TGF-beta antibody. Ecabet inhibited the leukotriene B4 production and 5-lipoxygenase activity in human neutrophils. In conclusion, ecabet enema showed a therapeutic effect in rats with ulcerative colitis. This effect may be attributable to the high binding affinity for damaged mucosa, the acceleration of restitution, and the inhibition of leukotriene B4 production.