Antifibrotic activity of diterpenes from Biota orientalis leaves on hepatic stellate cells

Nontargeted Metabolomics as a Screening Tool for Estimating Bioactive Metabolites in the Extracts of 50 Indigenous Korean Plants

Many indigenous Korean plants have been used in medicinal preparations and health-promoting foods. These plant species contain beneficial metabolites with various bioactivities, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Herein, we suggest a new screening strategy using metabolomics to explore the bioactive compounds in 50 Korean plants. Secondary metabolites were analyzed using UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS/MS. The plant extracts were subjected to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory assays. We identified metabolites that contributed to bioactivities according to the results of bioassays and multivariate analyses. Using Pearson’s correlation, phenolics (e.g., casuarictin, 3-O-methylellagic acid) showed positive correlation with antioxidant activity, while biflavonoids (e.g., amentoflavone, rosbustaflavone) were correlated with nitric oxide (NO) inhibition activity. To compensate for the limitation of this new strategy, we further validated these by investigating three parts (branches, fruits, leaves) of Platycladus orientalis which showed high activities on both bioassays. Unlike the above observation, we identified significantly different metabolites from different parts, which was not the results of bioassays. In these validation steps, interestingly, biflavonoids (e.g., robustaflavone, sciadopitysin) contributed to both activities in P. orientalis. The findings of this work suggest that new strategy could be more beneficial in the identification of bioactive plant species as well as that of their corresponding bioactive compounds that impart the bioactivity.

Macroporous resin purification and characterization of flavonoids from Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco and their effects on macrophage inflammatory response

LPS-induced macrophage cells as a model of inflammatory response to investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of the purifiedPlatycladus orientalis(L.) Franco flavonoids.

Physicochemical Characterization of a Polysaccharide Fraction from Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco and Its Macrophage Immunomodulatory and Anti-Hepatitis B Virus Activities

A polysaccharide fraction, here called POP1, was purified from the leaves of Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco by water extraction and alcohol precipitation. Physicochemical characterization indicated that POP1 had a relative molecular weight of 8.10 × 10(3) Da and consisted of rhamnose (5.74%), arabinose (12.58%), mannose (10.97%), glucose (64.96%), and galactose (6.55%). The main linkage types of POP1 consisted of (1→5)-linked α-l-Ara, (1→3)-linked α-l-Man, (1→6)-linked β-l-Rha, (1→4)-linked α-d-Glc, (1→6)-linked α-d-Glc, (1→6)-linked β-d-Gal, (1→3,6)-linked β-d-Gal, and termination with α-l-Man and α-d-Glc residues based on periodate oxidation, Smith degradation, methylation, and NMR analysis. POP1 exhibited excellent immunostimulating activity by enhancing macrophage NO, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-12 secretion and activating related mRNA expression. Besides, POP1 showed significant anti-HBV activity through inhibiting the expression of HBsAg (IC50 = 1.33 ± 0.12 mg/mL) and HBeAg (IC50 = 1.67 ± 0.13 mg/mL) and interfering with the HBV DNA replication (IC50 = 0.80 ± 0.03 mg/mL). The present study suggested that POP1 could be used as immunoregulatory agent in functional foods for the prevention of HBV infection.

Recent progress on the traditional Chinese medicines that regulate the blood

In traditional Chinese medicine, the herbs that regulate blood play a vital role. Here, nine herbs including Typhae Pollen, Notoginseng Root, Common Bletilla Tuber, India Madder Root and Rhizome, Chinese Arborvitae Twig, Lignum Dalbergiae Oderiferae, Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Corydalis Tuber, and Motherwort Herb were selected and reviewed for their recent studies on anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular effects. Besides, the analytical methods developed to qualify or quantify the active compounds of the herbs are also summarized.

Antimicrobial activity of oleanolic and ursolic acids: an update

Triterpenoids are the most representative group of phytochemicals, as they comprise more than 20,000 recognized molecules. These compounds are biosynthesized in plants via squalene cyclization, a C30 hydrocarbon that is considered to be the precursor of all steroids. Due to their low hydrophilicity, triterpenes were considered to be inactive for a long period of time; however, evidence regarding their wide range of pharmacological activities is emerging, and elegant studies have highlighted these activities. Several triterpenic skeletons have been described, including some that have presented with pentacyclic features, such as oleanolic and ursolic acids. These compounds have displayed incontestable biological activity, such as antibacterial, antiviral, and antiprotozoal effects, which were not included in a single review until now. Thus, the present review investigates the potential use of these triterpenes against human pathogens, including their mechanisms of action, via in vivo studies, and the future perspectives about the use of compounds for human or even animal health are also discussed.

Platycladus orientalis leaves: a systemic review on botany, phytochemistry and pharmacology

Platycladus orientalis leaves (Cebaiye) have been used for thousands of years as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). According to the theory of TCM, they are categorized as a blood-cooling and hematostatic herb. In clinical practice, they were usually prescribed with heat-clearing herbs to reinforce the efficacy of hemostasis. The review provides the up-to-date information from 1980 to present that is available on the botany, processing research, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of the leaves. The information is collected from scientific journals, books, theses and reports via library and electronic search (Google Scholar, Pubmed and CNKI). Through literature reports, we can find that the leaves show a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, disinsection, anticancer, diuretic, hair growth-promoting, neuroprotective and antifibrotic activities. Diterpene and flavonoids would be active constituents in P. orientalis leaves. Many studies have provided evidence for various traditional uses. However, there is a great need for additional studies to elucidate the mechanism of blood-cooling and hematostatic activity of the leaves. Therefore, the present review on the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry and toxicity has provided preliminary information for further studies of this herb.

Sesquiterpene lactones from the roots of Lindera strychnifolia

Phytochemical investigation of the roots of Lindera strychnifolia resulted in the isolation of seven sesquiterpene lactones named linderolide G-M (1-7), together with twelve known sesquiterpenes. The structures and relative configurations of 1-7 were determined through spectroscopic observations, and the absolute configurations were defined by CD analysis. Linderolide G (1) and lindestrene (16) showed cytotoxicity against HSC-T6 hepatic stellate cells.

Antifibrotic Constituents from Garcinia mangostana

From the CHCl3-soluble fraction of the fruits of Garcinia mangostana (Clusiaceae), six xanthone derivatives, α-mangostin (1), γ-mangostin (2), gartanin (3), deoxygartanin (4), 1-isomangstanin (5) and garcinone E (6), were isolated. All these compounds significantly inhibited HSC-T6 viability as assessed by employing HSC-T6 hepatic stellate cells as an in vitro assay system. Among them, compounds 1 and 2, the most potent and major constituents of G. mangostana, inhibited HSC-T6 viability in dose- and time-dependent manners. In addition, compounds 1 and 2 significantly reduced collagen content, a pathological characteristic of liver fibrosis. Taken together, G. mangostana and its constituents might be beneficial for the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Identification and characterization of GABA(A) receptor modulatory diterpenes from Biota orientalis that decrease locomotor activity in mice

An ethyl acetate extract of Biota orientalis leaves potentiated GABA-induced control current by 92.6% ± 22.5% when tested at 100 μg/mL in Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing GABA(A) receptors (α₁β₂γ(2S) subtype) in two-microelectrode voltage clamp measurements. HPLC-based activity profiling was used to identify isopimaric acid (4) and sandaracopimaric acid (5) as the compounds largely responsible for the activity. Sandaracopimaradienolal (3) was characterized as a new natural product. Compounds 4 and 5 were investigated for GABA(A) receptor subtype selectivity at the subtypes α₁β₁γ(2S), α₁β₂γ(2S), α₁β₃γ(2S), α₂β₂γ(2S), α₃β₂γ(2S), and α₅β₂γ(2S). Sandaracopimaric acid (5) was significantly more potent than isopimaric acid (4) at the GABA(A) receptor subtypes α₁β₁γ(2S), α₂β₂γ(2S), and α₅β₂γ(2S) (EC₅₀4: 289.5 ± 82.0, 364.8 ± 85.0, and 317.0 ± 83.7 μM vs EC₅₀5: 48.1 ± 13.4, 31.2 ± 4.8, and 40.7 ± 14.7 μM). The highest efficiency was reached by 4 and 5 on α₂- and α₃-containing receptor subtypes. In the open field test, ip administration of 5 induced a dose-dependent decrease of locomotor activity in a range of 3 to 30 mg/kg body weight in mice. No significant anxiolytic-like activity was observed in doses between 1 and 30 mg/kg body weight in mice.

Antifibrotic activity of coumarins from Cnidium monnieri fruits in HSC-T6 hepatic stellate cells

The CHCl(3) fraction of Cnidium monnieri fruits significantly inhibited the proliferation of hepatic stellate cells in an in-vitro assay system employing HSC-T6 hepatic stellate cell lines. Activity-guided fractionation of the CHCl(3) fraction of C. monnieri led to the isolation of ten coumarins: osthol (1), meranzin (2), auraptenol (3), meranzin hydrate (4), 7-hydroxy-8-methoxy coumarin (5), imperatorin (6), xanthotoxol (7), xanthotoxin (8), bergapten (9) and isopimpinellin (10). Of these, compounds 1 and 6 significantly inhibited proliferation of HSCs in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In addition, compounds 1 and 6 significantly reduced collagen content in HSC-T6 cells.