Preventive effect of sanguinarine on intestinal injury in mice exposed to whole abdominal irradiation

(+)/(-)-Corydecumbenpines A and B, two pairs of dimeric phthalide-benzophenanthridine alkaloids with cytotoxicity from Corydalis decumbens

Four pairs of previously undescribed enantiomers, including two pairs of dimeric phthalide-benzophenanthridine alkaloid and two pairs phthalides derivatives, corydecumbenpines A-D, were isolated from the rhizomes of Corydalis decumbens. Their planar structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis including UV, IR, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR. Optically pure compounds were obtained by chiral chromatography and their absolute configurations were determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography and comparison of experimental and calculated ECD spectra. Corydecumbenpines A and B were previously undescribed phthalideisoquinolines which were benzophenanthridine linked to phthalide and corydecumbenpines C and D were previously undescribed phthalide hemiacetal derivatives. (+)-Corydecumbenpine A showed cytotoxic activity on A549, GIST-882, and PANC-1 cell lines with IC50 values of 10.1 μM, 8.2 μM, and 7.1 μM respectively.

Sanguinarine chloride hydrate mitigates colitis symptoms in mice through the regulation of the intestinal microbiome and metabolism of short-chain fatty acids

Sanguinarine constitutes the main components of Macleaya cordata, and exhibits diverse biological and pharmacological activities. This study investigated the effects of sanguinarine chloride hydrate (SGCH) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) mice. Five groups were designed to investigate the effects of SGCH on the pathological symptoms, the mRNA expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, colonic mucosal barrier damage, microbiota composition, and SCFAs metabolism in UC mice. The administration of SGCH in DSS-induced UC mice resulted in the amelioration of pathological symptoms, as evidenced by an increase in body weight, a decrease in disease activity index score, elongation of colon length, reduction in spleen index, and improvement in colon injury. SGCH can regulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10) and tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and Occludin) associated with UC. SGCH exhibited a significant decrease in NF-κB P65 mRNA expression levels, accompanied by a significantly reduced protein level of NF-κB P-P65/P65. Further studies revealed SGCH effectively reversed the decrease in intestinal microbiota diversity induced by UC, thereby promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria such as Akkermansia, Alistipes, and norank_o_Clostridia_UCG-014. Correlation analysis demonstrated a positive association between butanoic acid, propanoic acid, isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, valeric acid, hexanoic acid with Colidextribacter, while Coriobacteriaceae_UCG-002 exhibited a negative correlation with butanoic acid, acetic acid and propanoic acid. In conclusion, the administration of SGCH can ameliorate clinical symptoms in UC mice, regulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines and tight junction proteins, modulate intestinal microbiota metabolism and SCFAs production.

Hesperidin attenuates radiation-induced ovarian failure in rats: Emphasis on TLR-4/NF-ĸB signaling pathway

Young women suffering from premature ovarian failure after radiotherapy carry a huge burden in the field of cancer therapy including reproductive loss, emotional stress, and physical troubles that reduce their long-term quality of life. Hesperidin (HSP) exhibited antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. HSP enhanced in vitro follicular maturation and preserved in vivo ovarian stockpile. In this research, the role of HSP in radiation-induced POF in rats was investigated besides ascertaining its underlying mechanisms. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were arbitrarily allocated into four groups: control-group, ϒ-irradiated-group (3.2 Gy once on the 7th day), HSP-group (100 mg/kg, orally for 10 days), and HSP/ϒ-irradiated-group (ϒ-radiation was applied one hour after HSP). At the end of experiment, the whole ovaries were collected for histological and biochemical analyses. Administration of HSP preserved the ovarian histoarchitecture and follicular stock, retained ovarian weight, and conserved serum estradiol and AMH levels following radiation exposure. HSP ameliorated the ovarian oxidative damage mediated by radiation through augmenting the activities of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and catalase antioxidant enzymes. HSP exhibited remarkable anti-inflammatory activity by downregulating the expression of ovarian TLR-4, NF-ĸB, and TNF-α. Moreover, HSP suppressed the apoptotic machinery triggered by radiation by reducing p53 and Bax while increasing Bcl-2 mRNA expressions alongside diminishing caspase-3 expression. Additionally, HSP regulated estrous cycle disorder of irradiated rats and improved their reproductive capacity reflected by enhancing pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, HSP represents an appealing candidate as an adjunct remedy for female cancer patients during radiotherapy protocols owing to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and hormone-regulatory effects.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG alleviates radiation-induced intestinal injury by modulating intestinal immunity and remodeling gut microbiota

Radiation injury to the intestine is one of the most common complications in patients undergoing abdominal or pelvic cavity radiotherapy. In this study, we investigated the potential protective effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) on radiation-induced intestinal injury and its underlying mechanisms. Mice were assigned to a control group, a 10 Gy total abdominal irradiation (TAI) group, or a group pretreated with 108 CFU LGG for three days before TAI. Small intestine and gut microbiota were analyzed 3.5 days post-exposure. LGG intervention improved intestinal structure, reduced jejunal DNA damage, and inhibited the inflammatory cGAS/STING pathway. Furthermore, LGG reduced M1 proinflammatory macrophage and CD8+ T cell infiltration, restoring the balance between Th17 and Treg cells in the inflamed jejunum. LGG also partially restored the gut microbiota. These findings suggest the possible therapeutic radioprotective effect of probiotics LGG in alleviating radiation-induced intestinal injury by maintaining immune homeostasis and reshaping gut microbiota.

Bioactivity and mechanism of action of sanguinarine and its derivatives in the past 10 years

Sanguinarine is a quaternary ammonium benzophenanthine alkaloid found in traditional herbs such as Chelidonium, Corydalis, Sanguinarum, and Borovula. It has been proven to possess broad-spectrum biological activities, such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antiosteoporosis, neuroprotective, and antipathogenic microorganism activities. In this paper, recent progress on the biological activity and mechanism of action of sanguinarine and its derivatives over the past ten years is reviewed. The results showed that the biological activities of hematarginine and its derivatives are related mainly to the JAK/STAT, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, NF-κB, TGF-β, MAPK and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. The limitations of using sanguinarine in clinical application are also discussed, and the research prospects of this subject are outlined. In general, sanguinarine, a natural medicine, has many pharmacological effects, but its toxicity and safety in clinical application still need to be further studied. This review provides useful information for the development of sanguinarine-based bioactive agents.

Nocardia rubra cell-wall skeleton mitigates whole abdominal irradiation-induced intestinal injury via regulating macrophage function

Background

Ionizing radiation (IR)-induced intestinal injury is a major side effect and dose-limiting toxicity in patients receiving radiotherapy. There is an urgent need to identify an effective and safe radioprotectant to reduce radiation-induced intestinal injury. Immunoregulation is considered an effective strategy against IR-induced injury. The purpose of this article was to investigate the protective effect of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (Nr-CWS), an immunomodulator, on radiation-induced intestinal damage and to explore its potential mechanism.

Methods

C57BL/6 J male mice exposed to 12 Gy whole abdominal irradiation (WAI) were examined for survival rate, morphology and function of the intestine and spleen, as well as the gut microbiota, to comprehensively evaluate the therapeutic effects of Nr-CWS on radiation-induced intestinal and splenetic injury. To further elucidate the underlying mechanisms of Nr-CWS-mediated intestinal protection, macrophages were depleted by clodronate liposomes to determine whether Nr-CWS-induced radioprotection is macrophage dependent, and the function of peritoneal macrophages stimulated by Nr-CWS was detected in vitro.

Results

Our data showed that Nr-CWS promoted the recovery of intestinal barrier function, enhanced leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5+ intestinal stem cell survival and the regeneration of intestinal epithelial cells, maintained intestinal flora homeostasis, protected spleen morphology and function, and improved the outcome of mice exposed to 12 Gy WAI. Mechanistic studies indicated that Nr-CWS recruited macrophages to reduce WAI-induced intestinal damage. Moreover, macrophage depletion by clodronate liposomes blocked Nr-CWS-induced radioprotection. In vitro, we found that Nr-CWS activated the nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway and promoted the phagocytosis and migration ability of peritoneal macrophages.

Conclusions

Our study suggests the therapeutic effect of Nr-CWS on radiation-induced intestinal injury, and provides possible therapeutic strategy and potential preventive and therapeutic drugs to alleviate it.

Radiation-Induced Intestinal Injury: Injury Mechanism and Potential Treatment Strategies

Radiation-induced intestinal injury (RIII) is one of the most common intestinal complications caused by radiotherapy for pelvic and abdominal tumors and it seriously affects the quality of life of patients. However, the treatment of acute RIII is essentially symptomatic and nutritional support treatment and an ideal means of prevention and treatment is lacking. Researchers have conducted studies at the cellular and animal levels and found that some chemical or biological agents have good therapeutic effects on RIII and may be used as potential candidates for clinical treatment. This article reviews the injury mechanism and potential treatment strategies based on cellular and animal experiments to provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of RIII in clinical settings.

Protective Application of Chinese Herbal Compounds and Formulae in Intestinal Inflammation in Humans and Animals

Intestinal inflammation is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder with uncertain pathophysiology and causation that has significantly impacted both the physical and mental health of both people and animals. An increasing body of research has demonstrated the critical role of cellular signaling pathways in initiating and managing intestinal inflammation. This review focuses on the interactions of three cellular signaling pathways (TLR4/NF-κB, PI3K-AKT, MAPKs) with immunity and gut microbiota to explain the possible pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation. Traditional medicinal drugs frequently have drawbacks and negative side effects. This paper also summarizes the pharmacological mechanism and application of Chinese herbal compounds (Berberine, Sanguinarine, Astragalus polysaccharide, Curcumin, and Cannabinoids) and formulae (Wumei Wan, Gegen-Qinlian decoction, Banxia xiexin decoction) against intestinal inflammation. We show that the herbal compounds and formulae may influence the interactions among cell signaling pathways, immune function, and gut microbiota in humans and animals, exerting their immunomodulatory capacity and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. This demonstrates their strong potential to improve gut inflammation. We aim to promote herbal medicine and apply it to multispecies animals to achieve better health.

Insights into the potential of Sanguinarine as a promising therapeutic option for breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in the progression and metastasis of BC. A significant proportion of BC is characterized by a hypoxic TME, which contributes to the development of drug resistance and cancer recurrence. Sanguinarine (SAN), an isoquinoline alkaloid found in Papaver plants, has shown promise as an anticancer agent. The present review focuses on exploring the molecular mechanisms of hypoxic TME in BC and the potential of SAN as a therapeutic option. The review presents the current understanding of the hypoxic TME, its signaling pathways, and its impact on the progression of BC. Additionally, the review elaborates on the mechanisms of action of SAN in BC, including its effects on vital cellular processes such as proliferation, migration, drug resistance, and tumor-induced immune suppression. The review highlights the importance of addressing hypoxic TME in treating BC and the potential of SAN as a promising therapeutic option.

Gut microbiota and ionizing radiation-induced damage: Is there a link?

According to observational findings, ionizing radiation (IR) triggers dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota, affecting the structural composition, function, and species of the gut microbiome and its metabolites. These modifications can further exacerbate IR-induced damage and amplify proinflammatory immune responses. Conversely, commensal bacteria and favorable metabolites can remodel the IR-disturbed gut microbial structure, promote a balance between anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory mechanisms in the body, and mitigate IR toxicity. The discovery of effective and safe remedies to prevent and treat radiation-induced injuries is vitally needed because of the proliferation of radiation toxicity threats produced by recent radiological public health disasters and increasing medical exposures. This review examines how the gut microbiota and its metabolites are linked to the processes of IR-induced harm. We highlight protective measures based on interventions with gut microbes to optimize the distress caused by IR damage to human health. We offer prospects for research in emerging and promising areas targeting the prevention and treatment of IR-induced damage.

Potential role of gut microbiota and its metabolites in radiation-induced intestinal damage

Radiation-induced intestinal damage (RIID) is a serious disease with limited effective treatment. Nuclear explosion, nuclear release, nuclear application and especially radiation therapy are all highly likely to cause radioactive intestinal damage. The intestinal microecology is an organic whole with a symbiotic relationship formed by the interaction between a relatively stable microbial community living in the intestinal tract and the host. Imbalance and disorders of intestinal microecology are related to the occurrence and development of multiple systemic diseases, especially intestinal diseases. Increasing evidence indicates that the gut microbiota and its metabolites play an important role in the pathogenesis and prevention of RIID. Radiation leads to gut microbiota imbalance, including a decrease in the number of beneficial bacteria and an increase in the number of harmful bacteria that cause RIID. In this review, we describe the pathological mechanisms of RIID, the changes in intestinal microbiota, the metabolites induced by radiation, and their mechanism in RIID. Finally, the mechanisms of various methods for regulating the microbiota in the treatment of RIID are summarized.

Dietary Supplement of Amomum villosum Lour. Polysaccharide Attenuates Ulcerative Colitis in BALB/c Mice

Amomum villosum Lour. (A. villosum), a comestible medicinal plant, has been traditionally used in China to treat diarrhea, stomach fullness, and abdominal distension. Polysaccharide, the main chemical component of A. villosum, has been shown to possess potential antioxidant and glycosidase inhibitory activities; however, whether it has anticolitis activity is unknown. The aim of this research was to evaluate the anticolitis effects of A. villosum polysaccharide (AVLP) in BALB/c mice. The results showed that AVLP administration significantly reversed body weight loss, colon shortening and colon weight gain and decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in colitis mice (p < 0.05). AVLP administration also maintained intestinal barrier function by the upregulation of ZO-1 protein expression (p < 0.05). In addition, high-throughput sequencing analysis showed that AVLP possessed a great regulatory effect on the growth of Adlercreutzia, Clostridium, Streptococcus, Parabacteroides, Helicobacter, Odoribacter, and Alistipes (p < 0.05, LDA score > 2). The correlation analysis revealed that the protective effects against colitis of AVLP were highly correlated with intestinal bacterium regulation. These results suggest that AVLP intake could serve as a prospective nutritional strategy for inflammatory bowel diseases.

Sanguinarine ameliorates DSS induced ulcerative colitis by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and modulating intestinal microbiota in C57BL/6 mice

BACKGROUND

Sanguinarine (SAN) is an important natural anti-inflammatory constitutes and dietary supplementation with SAN could improve the relative length of the intestine, alter gut microbiota, and enhance growth performance of pigs, broiler chickens, and cattle. However, it is unclear whether it has the therapeutic effect on ulcerative colitis (UC).

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of SAN on UC and explore its mechanisms of action.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Several efficacy indexes of SAN on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced C57BL/6 mice were evaluated. ELISA kit and western blot analysis were used to evaluate it's anti-inflammatory effect and the mechanism of action. 16S rDNA sequencing detection was used to determine the impact of SAN on gut microbiota.

RESULTS

SAN and Sulfasalazine could significantly improve the colon length, the weight loss, the symptoms and the pathological injury of colon in DSS-induced mice. Meanwhile, SAN could decrease the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-13 and IL-18) and increase the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) in colon, and suppress DSS-induced high expressions of NLRP3, caspase-1 and IL-1β. In addition, SAN (0.5, 1 μM) could inhibit the expression level of NLRP3 and the activation of caspase-1 and IL-1β in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated THP-1 cells in non-cytotoxic doses, which was similar to that of MCC950, a specific inhibitor of NLRP3 inflammasome activation. The abundance changes of many genera such as Muribaculaceae_unclassified, Escherichia-Shigella, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Helicobacter were also closely related to the improvement of SAN on intestinal inflammatory response.

CONCLUSION

SAN exhibited therapeutic effect on DSS-induced colitis by blocking NLRP3-(Caspase-1)/IL-1β pathway and improving intestinal microbial dysbiosis. SAN might be developed to treat UC and other disorders associated with microbial dysbiosis.

Effects of Dietary Macleaya cordata Extract on Growth Performance, Biochemical Indices, and Intestinal Microbiota of Yellow-Feathered Broilers Subjected to Chronic Heat Stress

This study investigated the effect of dietary Macleaya cordata extract (MCE) supplementation on the growth performance, serum parameters, and intestinal microbiota of yellow-feather broilers under heat stress. A total of 216 yellow-feather broilers (28-days-old) were randomly allotted into three groups. A control group (CON) (24 ± 2 °C) and heat stress group (HS) (35 ± 2 °C) received a basal diet, and heat-stressed plus MCE groups (HS-MCE) (35 ± 2 °C) were fed the basal diet with 1000 mg/kg MCE for 14 consecutive days. The results revealed that MCE supplementation improved the final body weight, average daily feed intake, average daily gain, and spleen index when compared with the HS group (p < 0.05). In addition, MCE supplementation decreased (p < 0.05) the activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatinine, and increased (p < 0.05) the glucose level and alkaline phosphatase activity in heat-stressed yellow-feathered broilers. Moreover, MCE treatment alleviated heat-stress-induced intestinal flora disturbances, decreased the Bacteroidota and Bacteroides relative abundances, and increased Firmicutes. A linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis found five differentially abundant taxa in the HS-MCE group, including Alistipes, Rikenellaceae, Mogibacterium, Butyrivibrio, and Lachnospira. These results suggest that MCE can alleviate HS-induced decline in growth performance by modulating blood biochemical markers and cecal flora composition in broilers.

Metformin improves depressive-like behavior in experimental Parkinson's disease by inducing autophagy in the substantia nigra and hippocampus

Parkinson's disease (PD) remains a disease of little known etiology. In addition to the motor symptoms, depression is present in about 40% of patients, contributing to the loss of quality of life. Recently, the involvement of the autophagy mechanism in the pathogenesis of depression has been studied, in addition to its involvement in PD as well. In this study, we tested the effects of metformin, an antidiabetic drug also with antidepressant effects, on depressive-like behavior in a rotenone-induced PD model and on the autophagy process. Mice 8-week-old male C57BL/6 were induced with rotenone for 20 consecutive days (2.5 mg/kg/day) and treated with metformin (200 mg/kg/day) from the 5th day of induction. All the animals were submitted to rotarod, sucrose preference and tail suspension tests. After euthanasia, the substantia nigra and hippocampus were removed for analysis by western blotting or fixed and analyzed by immunofluorescence. The results show that there was an impairment of autophagy in animals induced by rotenone both in nigral and extranigral regions as well as a depressive-like behavior. Metformin was able to inhibit depressive-like behavior and increase signaling pathway proteins, transcription factors and autophagosome-forming proteins, thus inducing autophagy in both the hippocampus and the substantia nigra. In conclusion, we show that metformin has an antidepressant effect in a rotenone-induced PD model, which may result, at least in part, from the induction of the autophagy process.

Sanguinarine attenuates hydrogen peroxide-induced toxicity in liver of Monopterus albus: Role of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis

In aquatic animals, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), which is a source of oxidative stress, can cause physiological dysfunction, inflammation, and death. Sanguinarine (SAN) is a plant extract known to improve antioxidant and immune capacity. However, the roles of SAN in H₂O₂-induced liver tissue toxicity is unclear. The effects on hepatic oxidative damage, inflammatory response, and apoptosis were investigated by feeding rice field eel with 0, 375, and 750 μg/kg of SAN for eight weeks and then intraperitoneally injected with H₂O₂. The results showed that after 24 h of H₂O₂ injection, the activities of ALT and AST in serum were significantly increased, oxidative damage and inflammatory response occurred in the liver, and apoptosis was induced, which indicated that H₂O₂ induced liver damage in rice field eel. However, dietary supplemented with 375 or 750 μg/kg SAN significantly decreased the activities of ALT and AST in serum, and significantly increased the antioxidant function (decreased ROS, MDA, and antioxidant enzymes levels, downregulated antioxidant-related gene expression, and inhibited the transcription level of nrf2). The addition of SAN at 375 or 750 μg/kg ameliorated H₂O₂-induced inflammatory response of liver (upregulated tgf-β1 mRNA expression, downregulated il-1β, il-6, il-8, and il-12β mRNA expression, and inhibited the transcription levels of tlr-3 tlr-7, and nf-κb). In addition, dietary supplemented with 375 or 750 μg/kg SAN alleviated the apoptosis of liver induced by H₂O₂ (downregulated bax mRNA expression, upregulated caspase3 mRNA expression, and reduced the number of apoptotic cells by TUNEL staining). Overall, these results suggested that SAN could alleviate the liver injury in rice field eel induced by H₂O₂, mainly by improving antioxidant capacity, alleviating inflammatory response and inhibiting apoptosis, and the effect of 750 μg/kg SAN addition is better than 375 μg/kg.

Screening of radiation gastrointestinal injury biomarkers in rat plasma by high-coverage targeted lipidomics

INTRODUCTION

In the event of radiological accidents and cancer radiotherapies in clinic, the gastrointestinal (GI) system is vulnerable to ionizing radiation and shows GI injury. Accessible biomarkers may provide means to predict, evaluate, and treat GI tissue damage. The current study investigated radiation GI injury biomarkers in rat plasma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

High-coverage targeted lipidomics was employed to profile lipidome perturbations at 72 h after 0, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 Gy (⁶⁰Co γ-rays at 1 Gy/min) total-body irradiation in male rat jejunum. The results were correlated with previous plasma screening outcomes.

RESULTS

In total, 93 differential metabolites and 28 linear dose-responsive metabolites were screened in the jejunum. Moreover, 52 lipid species with significant differences both in jejunum and plasma were obtained. Three lipid species with linear dose-response relationship both in jejunum and plasma were put forth, which exhibited good to excellent sensitivity and specificity in triaging different exposure levels.

DISCUSSION

The linear dose-effect relationship of lipid metabolites in the jejunum and the triage performance of radiation GI injury biomarkers in plasma were studied for the first time.

CONCLUSION

The present study can provide insights into expanded biomarkers of IR-mediated GI injury and minimally invasive assays for evaluation.