Flavonoid ofDrynaria fortunei protects against acute renal failure

Epiphytic Patterns Impacting Metabolite Diversity of Drynaria roosii Rhizomes Based on Widely Targeted Metabolomics

Drynaria roosii Nakaike, a fern widely distributed in China and some countries in Southeast Asia, is a commonly used herbal medicine in tonic diets and Chinese patented medicine. The metabolites of its dried rhizomes are easily affected by the epiphytic pattern, whether on rock tunnels (RTs) or tree trunks (TTs). The current research focused on rhizomes from these two patterns, RTs and TTs (further divided into subclasses TA, TB, TC, and TD, based on trunk differences) and conducted a widely targeted metabolomics analysis. A total of 1435 components were identified across 13 categories, with flavonoids, amino acids, and their derivative, lipids, identified as the main components. They accounted for 19.96%, 12.07%, and 12.14% of all metabolites, respectively. The top five flavonoids in TB were eriodicty-ol-7-O-(6″-acetyl)glucoside, quercetin-3-O-sophoroside (baimaside), dihydrochar-cone-4'-O-glucoside, morin, and hesperetin-7-O-glucoside, with relative contents 76.10, 24.20, 17.02, 15.84, and 14.64 times higher than in RTs. Principal component analysis revealed that samples with different epiphytic patterns clustered into five groups. The RT patterns revealed unique metabolites that were not detected in the other four epiphytic species (TA, TB, TC, and TD), including 16 authenticated metabolites: 1 alkaloid, 1 amino acid derivative, 7 flavonoids, 2 lignans, 1 lipid, 1 alcohol, 1 aldehyde, and 2 phenolic acids. These differences in epiphytic patterns considerably affected the accumulation of both primary and secondary metabolites. The comparison of diversity between RTs and TTs can guide the selection of a cultivation substance and the grading of collective rhizomes in the wild. This comprehensive analysis of D. roosii rhizome metabolites also offers fundamental insights for identifying active components and understanding the mechanisms underlying their potential pharmacological activities.

Anti-Osteoporotic and Anti-Adipogenic Effects of the Water Extract of Drynaria roosii Nakaike in Ovariectomized Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

In traditional oriental medicine, Drynaria roosii Nakaike is widely used in treating bone diseases. Postmenopausal women are strongly associated with osteoporosis and obesity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the water extract of D. roosii (WDR) on bone loss and obesity in ovariectomized (OVX) mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Body weight, gonadal fat weight, histological findings, and morphometric parameters in trabecular bone were evaluated after OVX mice were treated with WDR and HFD for four weeks. The receptor activator of nuclear κ-B ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) was examined. Phytochemical identification of WDR using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was performed. WDR reversed the changes in body weight gain, gonadal fat mass, and trabecular bone parameters by ovariectomy. However, ovariectomy-induced uterine atrophy was not affected by WDR. WDR decreased adipocyte size and pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6) in gonadal fats and lipid accumulation in the bone marrow, which were induced by ovariectomy. WDR significantly decreased RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in BMMs. Fifteen phytochemicals were identified in WDR: Seven and nine with anti-osteoporotic and anti-adipogenic activities, respectively. Our findings suggest that WDR may have beneficial effects on postmenopausal osteoporosis and obesity.

Antimicrobial activity of the chloroform fraction of Drynaria fortunei against oral pathogens

Drynaria fortunei (D. fortunei), widely used in traditional Korean medicine, is reportedly effective in treating inflammation, hyperlipidemia, bone fractures, oxidative damage, arteriosclerosis, rheumatism, and gynecological diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effects of the chloroform fraction of D. fortunei (DFCF) and assess the synergistic effects of DFCF with antibiotics against bacterial pathogens. This was carried out by calculating the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) and performing checkerboard dilution test and time-kill assays. The MICs/MBCs for DFCF, ampicillin, and gentamicin against all oral strains were >39-2,500/5,000 μg/mL, 0.25-64/0.25-64 µg/mL, and 0.5-256/1-512 µg/mL, respectively. DFCF exhibited the highest activity against the periodontic pathogens Prevotella intermedia and Porphylomonas gingivalis. DFCF in combination with ampicillin showed a strong synergistic effect against oral bacteria (fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index ≤0.5), whereas on combining with gentamicin, it reduced the on half-eighth times than used alone (FICI ≤ 0.5). DFCF combined with ampicillin or gentamicin killed 100% of most tested bacteria within 3-4 h. The results of this study demonstrate the antimicrobial and synergistic activity of DFCF and antibiotics against oral pathogens.

Natural medicines for acute renal failure: A review

Acute renal failure (ARF) is a life-threating disease with high mortality percentage. Two important mechanisms of ARF are inflammation and oxidative stress. Plants are rich source of antioxidant compounds and have a strong anti-inflammatory activity, so they may be useful for the treatment of ARF. Some herbal medicines are effective against different models of experimentally induced ARF such as cisplatin, gentamicin, glycerol, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Some of these plants such as ginseng, black seed, ginger, garlic, grape, pomegranate, saffron, and green tea are so famous and are effective against various models of ARF. However, we found several articles examining the effectiveness of different plants for treating ARF. In the current article, we discussed plants and natural products that are effective in the treatment of ARF.

Drynaria fortunei J. Sm. improves the bone mass of ovariectomized rats through osteocalcin-involved endochondral ossification

AIM OF THIS STUDY

Our previous study showed that Drynaria fortunei J. Sm. (Kunze), a traditional Chinese medical herb, can promote osteoblast differentiation and maturation. This study was further aimed to confirm the traditional effects of Kunze on the bone mass of ovariectomized rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Female Wistar rats were given an ovariectomy and then administered the water extract of Kunze (WEK). Systemic and tissue toxicities of WEK were assessed. A biomechanical test, bone mineral contents, and bone histomorphometry were analyzed to determine the effects of the WEK on the bone mass. Levels of osteocalcin (OCN) in bone tissues were determined by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. The effects of naringin, one of the bioactive compounds of the WEK, on the bone mass were evaluated.

RESULTS

A bilateral ovariectomy in rats caused a time-dependent decrease in levels of serum 17β-estradiol. Exposure of ovariectomized rats to the WEK at 0.5 and 1g/kg body weight/day for 1, 2, 3, and 6 months did not induce systemic or tissue toxicities. Biomechanical testing and a bone mineral content analysis showed that the ovariectomy decreased the bone torsion force and bone ash in time-dependent manners. In comparison, after exposure to the WEK, the ovariectomy-induced reductions in the bone torsion force and bone ash were significantly alleviated. In parallel, results of a bone histomorphometric assay further revealed that the ovariectomy caused significant diminution in the production of prehypertrophic chondrocytes and trabecular bone but enhanced hypertrophic chondrocyte numbers in the growth plate. However, exposure to the WEK lowered ovariectomy-induced changes in these cellular events. As to the mechanism, the WEK increased OCN biosynthesis in bone tissues of ovariectomized rats. Administration of naringin to ovariectomized rats caused significant amelioration of the bone strength, bone mineral contents, and trabecular bone amounts.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that the WEK can translationally promote the bone mass in ovariectomized rats through stimulating OCN-involved endochondral ossification.

Kidney tubular-cell secretion of osteoblast growth factor is increased by kaempferol: a scientific basis for "the kidney controlling the bone" theory of Chinese medicine

OBJECTIVE

To study, at the cytological level, the basic concept of Chinese medicine that "the Kidney (Shen) controls the bone".

METHODS

Kaempferol was isolated form Rhizoma Drynariae (Gu Sui Bu, GSB) and at several concentrations was incubated with opossum kidney (OK) cells, osteoblasts (MC3T3 E1) and human fibroblasts (HF) at cell concentrations of 2×10(4)/mL. Opossum kidney cell-conditioned culture media with kaempferol at 70 nmol/L (70kaeOKM) and without kaempferol (0OKM) were used to stimulate MC3T3 E1 and HF proliferation. The bone morphological protein receptors I and II (BMPR I and II) in OK cells were identified by immune-fluorescence staining and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Kaempferol was found to increase OK cell growth (P<0.05), but alone did not promote MC3T3 E1 or HF cell proliferation. However, although OKM by itself increased MC3T3 E1 growth by 198% (P<0.01), the 70kaeOKM further increased the growth of these cells by an additional 127% (P<0.01). It indicates that the kidney cell generates a previously unknown osteoblast growth factor (OGF) and kaempferol increases kidney cell secretion of OGF. Neither of these media had any significant effect on HF growth. Kaempferol also was found to increase the level of the BMPR II in OK cells.

CONCLUSIONS

This lends strong support to the original idea that the Kidney has a significant influence over bone-formation, as suggested by some long-standing Chinese medical beliefs, kaempferol may also serve to stimulate kidney repair and indirectly stimulate bone formation.

Nanoparticles prepared from the water extract of Gusuibu (Drynaria fortunei J. Sm.) protects osteoblasts against insults and promotes cell maturation

Our previous study showed that Gusuibu (Drynaria fortunei J. Sm.) can stimulate osteoblast maturation. This study was further designed to evaluate the effects of nanoparticles prepared from the water extract of Gusuibu (WEG) on osteoblast survival and maturation. Primary osteoblasts were exposed to 1, 10, 100, and 1000 μg/mL nanoparticles of WEG (nWEG) for 24, 48, and 72 hours did not affect morphologies, viability, or apoptosis of osteoblasts. In comparison, treatment of osteoblasts with 1000 μg/mL WEG for 72 hours decreased cell viability and induced DNA fragmentation and cell apoptosis. nWEG had better antioxidant bioactivity in protecting osteoblasts from oxidative and nitrosative stress-induced apoptosis than WEG. In addition, nWEG stimulated greater osteoblast maturation than did WEG. Therefore, this study shows that WEG nanoparticles are safer to primary osteoblasts than are normal-sized products, and may promote better bone healing by protecting osteoblasts from apoptotic insults, and by promoting osteogenic maturation.

Drynaria fortunei J. Sm. promotes osteoblast maturation by inducing differentiation-related gene expression and protecting against oxidative stress-induced apoptotic insults

AIM OF THE STUDY

Drynaria fortunei J. Sm. is one variety of the traditional Chinese medical herb Gusuibu. This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of water extracts of Kunze on regulation of osteoblast maturation and its possible mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Primary osteoblasts prepared from neonatal rat calvarias were exposed to the water extracts of Kunze (WEK), and the cytotoxicity was assayed. Osteoblast maturation was evaluated by analyzing cell mineralization. RT-PCR was executed to determine the effects of WEK on regulation of osteoblast differentiation-related gene expression. Nitrosative stress and apoptotic cells were quantified using flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Exposure of rat calvarial osteoblasts to WEK did not affect cell viability, but significantly promoted osteoblast mineralization. WEK induced osteoprogenitor proliferation-related insulin-like growth factor-1 mRNA, but did not affect collagen type 1 mRNA expression. Treatment with WEK likewise induced the expression of matrix maturation-related bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 and BMP-6 mRNA. Consequently, WEK enhanced the levels of mineralization-related alkaline phosphatase, ostepontin, and osteocalcin mRNA in osteoblasts. In addition, exposure of osteoblasts to WEK alleviated nitrosative stress-caused apoptotic insults.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that WEK can promote osteoblast maturation by regulating bone differentiation-related gene expression and defending against nitrosative stress-induced apoptotic insults.