Systematically explore the potential hepatotoxic material basis and molecular mechanism of Radix Aconiti Lateralis based on the concept of toxicological evidence chain (TEC)

Podophyllotoxin via SIRT1/PPAR /NF-κB axis induced cardiac injury in rats based on the toxicological evidence chain (TEC) concept

BACKGROUND

The study of cardiotoxicity of drugs has become an important part of clinical safety evaluation of drugs. It is commonly known that podophyllotoxin (PPT) and its many derivatives and congeners are broad-spectrum pharmacologically active substances. Clinical cardiotoxicity of PPT and its derivatives has been raised, basic research on the mechanism of cardiotoxicity remains insufficient.

PURPOSE

In present study, our group's innovative concept of toxicological evidence chain (TEC) was applied to reveal the cardiac toxicity mechanism of PPT by targeted metabolomics, TMT-based quantitative proteomics and western blot.

METHODS

The injury phenotype evidence (IPE) acquired from the toxicity manifestations, such as weight and behavior observation of Sprague-Dawley rat. The damage to rat hearts were assessed through histopathological examination and myocardial enzymes levels, which were defined as Adverse Outcomes Evidence (AOE). The damage to rat hearts was assessed through histopathological examination and myocardial enzyme levels, which were defined as evidence of adverse outcomes.Overall measurements of targeted metabolomics based on energy metabolism and TMT-based quantitative proteomics were obtained after exposure to PPT to acquire the Toxic Event Evidence (TEE). The mechanism of cardiac toxicity was speculated based on the integrated analysis of targeted metabolomics and TMT-based quantitative proteomics, which was verified by western blot.

RESULTS

The results indicated that exposure to PPT could result in significant elevation of myocardial enzymes and pathological alterations in rat hearts. In addition, we found that PPT caused disorders in cardiac energy metabolism, characterized by a decrease in energy metabolism fuels. TMT-based quantitative proteomics revealed that the PPAR (Peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor) signaling pathway needs further study. It is worth noting that PPT may suppress the expression of SIRT1, subsequently inhibiting AMPK, decreasing the expression of PGC-1α, PPARα and PPARγ. This results in disorders of glucose oxidation, glycolysis and ketone body metabolism. Additionally, the increase in the expression of p-IKK and p-IκBα, leads to the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 from the cytosol, thus triggering inflammation.

CONCLUSION

This study comprehensively evaluated cardiac toxicity of PPT and initially revealed the mechanism of cardiotoxicity,suggesting that PPT induced disorders of energy metabolism and inflammation via SIRT1/PPAR/NF-κB axis, potentially contributing to cardiac injury.

Comprehensive insight into the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, detoxification and extraction of hypaconitine from Aconitum plants

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Hypaconitine (HA), a diterpenoid alkaloid, mainly derived from Aconitum plants such as Acoitum carmichaeli Debx. And Aconitum nagarum Stapf., has recently piqued significant interest among the scientific community given its multifaceted attributes including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, analgesic, and cardio-protective properties.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This review presents a comprehensive exploration of the research advancements regarding the traditional uses, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and toxicity reduction of HA. It aims to provide a thorough understanding of HA's multifaceted properties and its potential applications in various fields.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted using several prominent databases including PubMed, Web of Science, NCBI, and CNKI. The search was performed using specific keywords such as "hypaconitine," "heart failure," "anti-inflammatory," "aconite decoction," "pharmacological," "pharmacokinetics," "toxicity," "detoxification or toxicity reduction," and "extraction and isolation." The inclusion of these keywords ensured a comprehensive exploration of relevant studies and enabled the retrieval of valuable information pertaining to the various aspects of HA.

RESULTS

Existing research has firmly established that HA possesses a range of pharmacological effects, encompassing anti-cardiac failure, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-tumor properties. The therapeutic potential of HA is promising, with potential applications in heart failure, ulcerative colitis, cancer, and other diseases. Pharmacokinetic studies suggest that HA exhibits high absorption rates, broad distribution, and rapid metabolism. However, toxic effects of HA on the nerves, heart, and embryos have also been observed. To mitigate these risks, HA needs attenuation before use, with the most common detoxification methods being processing and combined use with other drugs. Extraction methods for HA most commonly include cold maceration, soxhlet reflux extraction, and ultrasonic-assisted extraction. Despite the potential therapeutic benefits of HA, further research is warranted to elucidate its anti-heart failure effects, particularly in vivo, exploring aspects such as in vivo metabolism, distribution, and metabolites. Additionally, the therapeutic effects of HA monomers on inflammation-induced diseases and tumors should be validated in a more diverse range of experimental models, while the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of HA should be investigated in greater detail.

CONCLUSION

This review serves to emphasize the therapeutic potential of HA and highlights the crucial need to address its toxicity concerns before considering clinical application. Further research is required to comprehensively investigate the pharmacological properties of HA, with particular emphasis on its anti-cardiac failure and anti-inflammatory activities. Such research endeavors have the potential to unveil novel treatment avenues for a broad spectrum of diseases.

An update on the potential mechanism of gallic acid as an antibacterial and anticancer agent

Drug resistance to antibacterial and anticancer drugs is one of the most important global problems in the treatment field that is constantly expanding and hinders the recovery and survival of patients. Therefore, it is necessary to identify compounds that have antibacterial and anticancer properties or increase the effectiveness of existing drugs. One of these approaches is using natural compounds that have few side effects and are effective. Gallic acid (GA) has been identified as one of the most important plant polyphenols that health-promoting effects in various aspects such as bacterial and viral infections, cancer, inflammatory, neuropsychological, gastrointestinal, and metabolic disease. Various studies have shown that GA inhibits bacterial growth by altering membrane structure, and bacterial metabolism, and inhibits biofilm formation. Also, GA inhibits cancer cell growth by targeting different signaling pathways in apoptosis, increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, targeting the cell cycle, and inhibiting oncogenes and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression. Due to the powerful function of GA against bacteria and cancer cells. In this review, we describe the latest findings in the field of the sources and chemical properties of GA, its pharmacological properties and bioavailability, the antibacterial and anticancer activities of GA, and its derivatives alone, in combination with other drugs and in the form of nanoformulation. This review can be a comprehensive perspective for scientists to use medicinal compounds containing GA in future research and expand its clinical applications.

4-hydroxylonchocarpin and corylifol A: The potential hepatotoxic components of Psoralea corylifolia L

Psoralea corylifolia L. (P. corylifolia) has attracted increasing attention because of its potential hepatotoxicity. In this study, we used network analysis (toxic component and hepatotoxic target prediction, proteinprotein interaction, GO enrichment analysis, KEGG pathway analysis, and molecular docking) to predict the components and mechanism of P. corylifolia-induced hepatotoxicity and then selected 4-hydroxylonchocarpin and corylifol A for experimental verification. HepG2 cells were treated with low, medium, and high concentrations of 4-hydroxylonchocarpin or corylifol A. The activities of ALT, AST, and LDH in cell culture media and the MDA level, SOD activity, and GSH level in cell extracts were measured. Moreover, apoptosis, ROS levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential were evaluated. The results showed that the activities of ALT, AST, and LDH in the culture medium increased, and hepatocyte apoptosis increased. The level of MDA increased, and the activity of SOD and level of GSH decreased, and the ROS level increased with 4-hydroxylonchocarpin and corylifol A intervention. Furthermore, the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased in the 4-hydroxylonchocarpin and corylifol A groups. This study suggests that 4-hydroxylonchocarpin and corylifol A cause hepatocyte injury and apoptosis by inducing oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, suggesting that these compounds may be the potential hepatotoxic components of P. corylifolia.

Exploring the Mechanism of Hepatotoxicity Induced by Dictamnus dasycarpus Based on Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking and Experimental Pharmacology

The root bark of Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz is a traditional Chinese medicine, Dictamni Cortex (DC), which is mainly used in the clinical treatment of skin inflammation, eczema, rubella, rheumatism, and gynecological inflammation. Unexpectedly, there are some cases of liver injury after the administration of DC. However, the mechanism of hepatotoxicity remains ambiguous. The aim of this study was to explore the mechanism and substance bases of DC hepatotoxicity based on network pharmacology and molecular docking, verified through pharmacological experiments. Partial prototype components and metabolites in vivo of quinoline alkaloids from DC were selected as candidate compounds, whose targets were collected from databases. Network pharmacology was applied to study the potential hepatotoxic mechanism after correlating the targets of candidate compounds with the targets of hepatotoxicity. Molecular docking was simulated to uncover the molecular mechanism. Furthermore, the hepatotoxicity of the extract and its constituents from DC was evaluated in vivo and in vitro. We constructed the "potential toxic components-toxic target-toxic pathway" network. Our results showed that the targets of DC included CYP1A2 and GSR, participating in heterologous steroid metabolism, REDOX metabolism, drug metabolism, heterocyclic metabolic processes, the synthesis of steroid hormone, cytochrome P450 metabolism, chemical carcinogens and bile secretion pathways. In vitro and in vivo experiments displayed that DC could result in a decrease in GSH-Px and oxidative stress, simultaneously inhibiting the expression of CYP1A2 and inducing hepatotoxicity. These results further indicated the mechanism of hepatotoxicity induced by Dictamnus dasycarpus, providing a basic theory to explore and prevent hepatotoxicity in the clinical usage of Dictamnus dasycarpus.

Chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, toxicology, processing and compatibility of Fuzi (lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx): A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx is known as Fuzi in Chinese. It is traditionally valued and used for dispelling cold, relieving pain effects, restoring 'Yang,' and treating shock despite its high toxicity. This review aims to provide comprehensive information on the chemical composition, pharmacological research, preparation, and compatibility of Fuzi to help reduce its toxicity and increase its efficiency, based on the scientific literature. In addition, this review will establish a new foundation for further studies on Fuzi.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic review of the literature on Fuzi was performed using several resources, namely classic books on Chinese herbal medicine and various scientific databases, such as PubMed, the Web of Science, and the China Knowledge Resource Integrated databases.

RESULTS

Fuzi extracts contain diester-type alkaloids, monoester-type alkaloids, other types of alkaloids, and non-alkaloids types, and have various pharmacological activities, such as strong heart effect, effect on blood vessels, and antidepressant, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, antitumor, immunomodulatory, and other therapeutic effects. However, these extracts can also lead to various toxicities such as cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, hepatotoxicity, and embryonic toxicity. In vivo and in vitro experiments have demonstrated that different processing methods and suitable compatibility with other herbs can effectively reduce the toxicities and increase the efficiency of Fuzi.

CONCLUSION

The therapeutic potential of Fuzi has been demonstrated in conditions, such as heart failure, various pains, inflammation, and tumors, which is attributed to the diester-type alkaloids, monoester-type alkaloids, other types of alkaloids, and non-alkaloid types. In contrast, they are also toxic components. Proper processing and suitable compatibility can effectively reduce toxicity and increase the efficiency of Fuzi. Thus more pharmacological and toxicological mechanisms on main active compounds are necessary to be explored.

In silico toxicity studies of traditional Chinese herbal medicine: A mini review

With the availability of public databases that store compound-target/compound-toxicity information, and Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) databases, in silico approaches are used in toxicity studies of TCM herbal medicine. Here, three in silico approaches for toxicity studies were reviewed, which include machine learning, network toxicology and molecular docking. For each method, its application and implementation e.g., single classifier vs. multiple classifier, single compound vs. multiple compounds, validation vs. screening, were explored. While these methods provide data-driven toxicity prediction that is validated in vitro and/or in vivo, it is still limited to single compound analysis. In addition, these methods are limited to several types of toxicity, with hepatotoxicity being the most dominant. Future studies involving the testing of combination of compounds on the front end i.e., to generate data for in silico modeling, and back end i.e., validate findings from prediction models will advance the in silico toxicity modeling of TCM compounds.

Detoxification mechanisms of ginseng to aconite: A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Aconite (Fuzi, FZ), the processed root tuber of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx., is utilized as a classic medicine to treat diseases of the cardiovascular system and immune system. Resulting from the narrow margin of safety between a therapeutic dose and a toxic dose, FZ often causes cardiotoxicity including hypotension, palpitation, and bradycardia. Contributing to the detoxification effects of the other famous herbal medicine ginseng (Renshen, RS), which is the dried root and rhizome of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, people broadly combine FZ and RS as compatibility more than 1800 years to attenuate the toxicity of FZ. However, the systematic detoxification mechanisms of RS to FZ have not been fully revealed.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

Aiming to provide a comprehensive interpretation of the attenuation processes of FZ via RS, this review summarizes the up-to-date information about regulatory mechanisms of RS to FZ to shed the light on the essence of detoxification.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Literature was searched in electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, CNKI and WanFang Data. Relevant studies on detoxification mechanisms were included while irrelevant and duplicate studies were excluded. According to the study design, subject, intervention regime, outcome, first author and year of publication of included data, detoxification mechanisms of RS to FZ were summarized and visualized.

RESULTS

A total of 144 studies were identified through databases from their inception up to Oct. 2022. Included information indicated that diester-diterpenoid alkaloids (DDAs) were the main toxic substances of FZ. The main mechanisms that RS attenuates the toxicity of FZ were transforming toxic compounds of FZ, affecting the absorption and metabolism of FZ as well as the FZ-induced cell toxicity alleviation.

CONCLUSION

FZ, as a famous traditional Chinese medicine, has good prospects for utilization. The narrow margin of safety between a therapeutic dose and a toxic dose of FZ limits its clinical effect and safety while RS is always combined with FZ to alleviate its toxicity. However, mechanisms responsible for the detoxification process have not been well identified. Therefore, detoxification mechanisms of RS to FZ are reviewed to ensure the safety and effectiveness of FZ.

Ethnopharmacological use, pharmacology, toxicology, phytochemistry, and progress in Chinese crude drug processing of the lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux. (Fuzi): A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux. (also known as Fuzi in Chinese) is a toxic Chinese medicine but widely used in clinical practice with remarkable effects. It is specifically used to treat cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases, in Korea, Japan, and India.

AIM OF THIS REVIEW

This study aimed to summarize and discuss the effects of drug processing on toxicity, chemical composition, and pharmacology of the lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux. This review could provide feasible insights for further studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Relevant information on phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of Fuzi was collected through published materials and electronic databases, including the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Flora of China, Web of Science, PubMed, Baidu Scholar, Google Scholar, and CNKI.

RESULTS

More than 100 chemical compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and polysaccharides were revealed. Modern pharmacological studies show that these chemical components have good effects on anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-aging, treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and improving immunity. Di-ester alkaloids are the main source of Fuzi toxicity. Increasing studies have shown that Fuzi can induce multiple organ damage, especially cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity. At present, most of the Fuzi used in clinical practice are processed. The processing affects the chemical structure, pharmacology, and toxicology of Fuzi. Moreover, different processing methods have different effects on Fuzi.

CONCLUSIONS

This review analyzed the effects of Fuzi processing methods on its toxicity and efficiency. The lateral roots of aconite are the known medicinal part of Fuzi; however, the aerial parts of aconite are understudied and require further research to expand its medicinal potential. Processing and compatibility are the primary means to reduce Fuzi toxicity. Nevertheless, establishing a reasonable unified safe dose range requires further discussion.

Study on the Mechanism of Mesaconitine-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats Based on Metabonomics and Toxicology Network

Mesaconitine (MA), one of the main diterpenoid alkaloids in Aconitum, has a variety of pharmacological effects, such as analgesia, anti-inflammation and relaxation of rat aorta. However, MA is a highly toxic ingredient. At present, studies on its toxicity are mainly focused on the heart and central nervous system, and there are few reports on the hepatotoxic mechanism of MA. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of MA administration on liver. SD rats were randomly divided into a normal saline (NS) group, a low-dose MA group (0.8 mg/kg/day) and a high-dose MA group (1.2 mg/kg/day). After 6 days of administration, the toxicity of MA on the liver was observed. Metabolomic and network toxicology methods were combined to explore the effect of MA on the liver of SD rats and the mechanism of hepatotoxicity in this study. Through metabonomics study, the differential metabolites of MA, such as L-phenylalanine, retinyl ester, L-proline and 5-hydroxyindole acetaldehyde, were obtained, which involved amino acid metabolism, vitamin metabolism, glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism. Based on network toxicological analysis, MA can affect HIF-1 signal pathway, MAPK signal pathway, PI3K-Akt signal pathway and FoxO signal pathway by regulating ALB, AKT1, CASP3, IL2 and other targets. Western blot results showed that protein expression of HMOX1, IL2 and caspase-3 in liver significantly increased after MA administration (p < 0.05). Combined with the results of metabonomics and network toxicology, it is suggested that MA may induce hepatotoxicity by activating oxidative stress, initiating inflammatory reaction and inducing apoptosis.

Pharmacokinetics, hepatic disposition, and heart tissue distribution of fourteen compounds in rat after oral administration of Qi-Li-Qiang-Xin capsule via ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry

In the present study, a specific and sensitive approach using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated for the quantitative analysis of fourteen constituents in rat plasma, liver and heart. The method was fully validated and successfully applied to pharmacokinetic, hepatic disposition and heart tissue distribution studies of fourteen compounds after the oral administration of Qi-Li-Qiang-Xin capsule. Ginsenoside Rb1, alisol A, astragaloside IV, and periplocymarin were found to be highly exposed in rat plasma, while toxic components such as hypaconitine, mesaconitine, and periplocin had low circulation levels in vivo. Moreover, sinapine thiocyanate, neoline, formononetin, calycosin, and alisol A exhibited significant liver first-pass effects. Notably, high levels of alisol A, periplocymarin, benzoylmesaconine, and benzoylhypaconine were observed in the heart. Based on high exposure and appropriate pharmacokinetic features in the systemic plasma and heart, astragaloside IV, ginsenoside Rb1, periplocymarin, benzoylmesaconine, benzoylhypaconine and alisol A can be considered as the main potentially effective components. Ultimately, the results provide relevant information for discovery of effective substances, as well as further anti-heart failure action mechanism investigations of Qi-Li-Qiang-Xin capsule. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.