Structure-activity relationship analysis of dammarane-type natural products as muscle-type creatine kinase activators

Rare ginsenosides: A unique perspective of ginseng research

BACKGROUND

Rare ginsenosides (Rg3, Rh2, C-K, etc.) refer to a group of dammarane triterpenoids that exist in low natural abundance, mostly produced by deglycosylation or side chain modification via physicochemical processing or metabolic transformation in gut, and last but not least, exhibited potent biological activity comparing to the primary ginsenosides, which lead to a high concern in both the research and development of ginseng and ginsenoside-related nutraceutical and natural products. Nevertheless, a comprehensive review on these promising compounds is not available yet.

AIM OF REVIEW

In this review, recent advances of Rare ginsenosides (RGs) were summarized dealing with the structurally diverse characteristics, traditional usage, drug discovery situation, clinical application, pharmacological effects and the underlying mechanisms, structure-activity relationship, toxicity, the stereochemistry properties, and production strategies.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW

A total of 144 RGs with diverse skeletons and bioactivities were isolated from Panax species. RGs acted as natural ligands on some specific receptors, such as bile acid receptors, steroid hormone receptors, and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptors. The RGs showed promising bioactivities including immunoregulatory and adaptogen-like effect, anti-aging effect, anti-tumor effect, as well as their effects on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system, central nervous system, obesity and diabetes, and interaction with gut microbiota. Clinical trials indicated the potential of RGs, while high quality data remains inadequate, and no obvious side effects was found. The stereochemistry properties induced by deglycosylation at C (20) were also addressed including pharmacodynamics behaviors, together with the state-of-art analytical strategies for the identification of saponin stereoisomers. Finally, the batch preparation of targeted RGs by designated strategies including heating or acid/ alkaline-assisted processes, and enzymatic biotransformation and biosynthesis were discussed. Hopefully, the present review can provide more clues for the extensive understanding and future in-depth research and development of RGs, originated from the worldwide well recognized ginseng plants.

Ginsenoside RG1 augments doxorubicin-induced apoptotic cell death in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines

This study determined the chemosensitizing potential of ginsenoside Rg1 in triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Ginsenoside Rg1 (10 µM) treated breast cancer cells were exposed to 8 nM of doxorubicin, and the chemosensitizing potential was measured by cell-based assays. Ginsenoside Rg1 (10 µM) treatment lowered the doxorubicin IC₅₀ value to 0.01 nM. Furthermore, the ginsenoside pretreatment augments doxorubicin-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and subsequent alterations of mitochondrial membrane potential in MDA-MB-231 cell lines. The alkaline comet assay results illustrated an increased % tail DNA during ginsenoside Rg1 plus doxorubicin treatment than doxorubicin alone treatment. In addition, the number of apoptotic cells was also increased in ginsenoside Rg1 plus doxorubicin-treated cells. Furthermore, the polymerase chain reaction array results illustrate activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) gene expression (AKT, ERK, and MAPK) during doxorubicin alone treatment and it has been attenuated by ginsenoside Rg1 pretreatment. Moreover, ginsenoside Rg1 treatment before doxorubicin activates the DNA damage response elements (ATM, H2AX, RAD51, and XRCC1) and subsequent apoptosis-related gene expression (p21, TP53. APAF1, Bax, CASP3, and CASP9) patterns in MDA-MB-231 cell lines. The ginsenoside Rg1 plus doxorubicin combination shows less cytotoxicity and ROS generation in MDA10A normal breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, the present results support the chemosensitizing property of ginsenoside Rg1 in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines.

Components and Pharmacodynamical Mechanism of Yinfupian Based on Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Analyses

Objective: According to the treatment records of Yang deficiency syndrome (YDS) with characteristic decoction pieces of lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii—Yinfupian (YF) in traditional Chinese medicine prepare school, known as “Jianchangbang”. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the composition and therapeutic mechanism of the unprocessed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii (ULRA) and its processed product (YF).

Methods: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis method were used to determine and screen the main components of ULRA and YF. Changes in the histological structure and morphology of gonads in rats were observed using hematoxylin-eosin. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the contents of serum cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate in YDS rats treated with ULRA and YF. Tandem mass tag proteomics analysis was used to identify the differentially expressed proteins in YDS rats treated with ULRA and YF.

Results: Both ULRA and YF exerted certain therapeutic effects on rats with YDS. They improved the gonadal morphology and increased the contents of serum cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate. After processing of ULRA into YF, the content of C19-diester-diterpenoid alkaloids decreased (converted into C19-monoester-diterpenoid alkaloids and C19-alkylol amine-diterpenoid alkaloids), whereas that of C20-diterpene alkaloids increased. Proteomics analysis showed that cytochrome P450 and aldehyde oxidase 3 (AOX3) were downregulated, whereas cathepsin G (CTSG) was upregulated in rats with YDS. Treatment with ULRA mainly downregulated the expression of α-actinin, fast skeletal troponin, creatine kinase, and myosin. Treatment with YF mainly upregulated the expression of mitochondrial ribosomal protein and mitochondrial inner membrane protein.

Conclusion: ULRA and YF exerted good therapeutic effects on YDS; the main difference in components between these preparations was in C19-diterpenoid alkaloids. ULRA mainly acts on the muscle contraction-related proteins and is closely related to inflammation and myocardial injury. YF mainly acts on the mitochondrial proteins and is closely related to adenosine triphosphate energy metabolism.