Ethyl rosmarinate inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 production in alveolar macrophages

The Bufei Nashen pill inhibits the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1 signaling pathway to regulate extracellular matrix deposition and improve COPD progression

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

According to the theory and practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be classified as "cough," "dyspnea," or "lung distention disease." Bufei Nashen pill (BFNSP) is a classic Chinese herbal formula with certain activity against the above syndromes. FNSP has previously been shown to improve clinical symptoms (cough, lumbar and knee weakness, tinnitus) in patients with occupationally related interstitial lung disease.

AIM OF THE STUDY

There is a lack of convincing evidence supporting the use of BFNSP for the treatment of COPD. This study aimed to investigate the effect of BFNSP on COPD and explore its underlying mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) was used to analyze the main components of BFNSP and BFNSP-containing serum. A COPD rat model was generated, and the rats were treated with different doses of BFNSP. Lung function indices were analyzed by a pulmonary function testing system, and lung histopathology was assessed by HE staining and scanning electron microscopy. The levels of TGF-β1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, MMP3, MMP-9, and TIMP1 in BALF and the levels of MMP3, MMP-9, TIMP1, and HA in serum were detected by ELISA. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to determine the expression of Col-I, Col-III, and LN in lung tissues. RT‒qPCR was performed to detect the mRNA expression of PI3K, Akt, HIF-1α, MMP-9, TGF-β1, TIMP1, and ERK1/2 in lung tissue, and Western blotting was performed to detect the protein expression of PI3K, p-PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, HIF-1α, MMP-9, TGF-β1, TIMP1, and p-ERK1/2 in lung tissue. In addition, in vitro cellular assays were performed for validation.

RESULTS

The results showed that BFNSP effectively improved the functional status of pulmonary ventilation, attenuated pathological damage in lung tissue, inhibited the release of inflammatory factors, reduced extracellular matrix deposition, and inhibited the activation of the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1 signaling pathway in lung tissue in COPD rats (P<0.05) and may alleviate COPD progression by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1 signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

BFNSP inhibits the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1 signaling pathway to regulate extracellular matrix deposition and improve COPD progression.

The role of lung macrophages in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a common, preventable and treatable chronic respiratory disease in clinic, gets continuous deterioration and we can't take effective intervention at present. Lung macrophages (LMs) are closely related to the occurrence and development of COPD, but the specific mechanism is not completely clear. In this review we will focus on the role of LMs and potential avenues for therapeutic targeting for LMs in COPD.

Anxiolytic and antidepressive potentials of rosmarinic acid: A review with a focus on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects

Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders that have emerged as global health concerns. Anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs, such as benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and tricyclics, are the first line used in treating anxiety and depression. Although these drugs lack efficacy and have a delayed response time and numerous side effects, their widespread abuse and market continue to grow. Over time, traditional practices using natural and phytochemicals as alternative therapies to chemical drugs have emerged to treat many pathological conditions, including anxiety and depression. Recent preclinical studies have demonstrated that the phenolic compound, rosmarinic acid, is effective against several neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression. In addition, rosmarinic acid showed various pharmacological effects, such as cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, lung protective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. However, the potentialities of the use of rosmarinic acid in the treatment of nervous system-related disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are less or not yet reviewed. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to present several preclinical and clinical studies, when available, from different databases investigating the effects of rosmarinic acid on anxiety and depression. These studies showed that rosmarinic acid produces advantageous effects on anxiety and depression through its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This review will examine and discuss the possibility that the anxiolytic and anti-depressive effects of rosmarinic acid could be associated with its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

A Comprehensive Review of Rosmarinic Acid: From Phytochemistry to Pharmacology and Its New Insight

Polyphenolic acids are the widely occurring natural products in almost each herbal plant, among which rosmarinic acid (RA, C18H16O8) is well-known, and is present in over 160 species belonging to many families, especially the Lamiaceae. Aside from this herbal ingredient, dozens of its natural derivatives have also been isolated and characterized from many natural plants. In recent years, with the increasing focus on the natural products as alternative treatments, a large number of pharmacological studies have been carried out to demonstrate the various biological activities of RA such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-diabetes, anti-virus, anti-tumor, neuroprotection, hepatoprotection, etc. In addition, investigations concerning its biosynthesis, extraction, analysis, clinical applications, and pharmacokinetics have also been performed. Although many achievements have been made in various research aspects, there still exist some problems or issues to be answered, especially its toxicity and bioavailability. Thus, we hope that in the case of natural products, the present review can not only provide a comprehensive understanding on RA covering its miscellaneous research fields, but also highlight some of the present issues and future perspectives worth investigating later, in order to help us utilize this polyphenolic acid more efficiently, widely, and safely.

Essential Oils of Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis and Gardenia jasminoides f. longicarpa Z.W. Xie & M. Okada Flowers: Chemical Characterization and Assessment of Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Alveolar Macrophage

Alveolar macrophage is the predominant cell type in the lung and is thought to be the major target for anti-inflammatory therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Aromatherapy using natural essential oils with anti-inflammatory effects for inhalable administration is a potential complementary and alternative therapy for COPD treatment. The Gardenia jasminoides flower is famous for its fragrance in East Asia and is used for treating colds and lung problems in folk medicine. Therefore, in the present study, flower essential oils from two main medicinal gardenia varieties (G. jasminoides J. Ellis and G. jasminoides f. longicarpa Z.W. Xie & M. Okada) were extracted by hydro-distillation, and their chemical components were analyzed by GC-MS. The anti-inflammatory effects of the two essential oils and their main ingredients were further studied on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced models in murine alveolar macrophages (MH-S). The results indicated that the chemical constituents of the two gardenia varieties were quite different. Alcohol accounted for 53.8% of the G. jasminoides essential oil, followed by terpenes (16.01%). Terpenes accounted for 34.32% of the G. jasminoides f. longicarpa essential oil, followed by alcohols (19.6%) and esters (13.85%). Both the two gardenia essential oils inhibited the LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) release and reduced the production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the MH-S cells. Linalool and α-farnesene dose-dependently reduced the NO release in the MH-S cells. Linalool and α-farnesene did not affect the PGE2 production but regulated the expression of TNF- α. In addition to linalool and α-farnesene, other components in the gardenia flower essential oils appeared to be able to act as anti-inflammatory agents and influence the PGE2 pathway.

Protective Effect of Ethyl Rosmarinate against Ulcerative Colitis in Mice Based on Untargeted Metabolomics

Aiming at assessing the therapeutic effect of ethyl rosmarinate (ER) on ulcerative colitis (UC), the following activities were performed in vitro and in vivo in the present study. Firstly, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cell inflammation model was established to determine the level of inflammatory factors. Then, a UC mice model induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was established to further investigate the effects of ER on symptoms, inflammatory factors and colon histopathology. Finally, serum and colon metabolomics studies were performed to identify the biomarkers and metabolisms closely related to the protective effect of ER on UC. The results showed that after ER intervention, the levels of inflammatory factors (NO, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) and key enzyme (MPO) in cell supernatant, serum or colon were significantly decreased, and the disease activity index and colon tissue damage in mice were also effectively improved or restored. In addition, 28 biomarkers and 6 metabolisms were found to be re-regulated by ER in the UC model mice. Therefore, it could be concluded that ER could effectively ameliorate the progression of UC and could be used as a new natural agent for the treatment of UC.

Orange thyme: Phytochemical profiling, in vitro bioactivities of extracts and potential health benefits

•

The use of orange thyme as food, condiments and infusions has health benefits.

•

Phytochemical characterization of hydroethanolic and aqueous extracts was performed.

•

Orange thyme extracts present neuroprotective, anti-aging and antioxidant activity.

•

Orange thyme extracts present high anti-inflammatory activity with no cytotoxicity.

Orange thyme (Thymus fragrantissimus) is becoming widely used in food as a condiment and herbal tea, nevertheless its chemical composition and potential bioactivities are largely unknown. Thus the objective of this work is to obtain a detailed phytochemical profile of T. fragrantissimus by exhaustive ethanolic extraction and by aqueous decoction mimicking its consumption. Extracts showed high content in rosmarinic acid, luteolin-O-hexuronide and eriodictyol-O-hexuronide; these were the main phenolic compounds present in orange thyme accounting for 85% of the total phenolic compounds. Orange thyme extracts presented high scavenging activity against nitric oxide and superoxide radicals. Both extracts presented significant inhibitory effect of tyrosinase activity and moderate anti-acetylcholinesterase activity. Both extracts showed a good in vitro anti-inflammatory activity and a weak anti-proliferative/cytotoxic activity against Caco-2 and HepG2 cell lines supporting its safe use. Orange thyme is a very good source of bioactive compounds with potential use in different food and nutraceutical industries.

Identification and Characterization of Chemical Constituents in HuaTanJiangQi Capsules by UPLC-QTOF-MS Method

BACKGROUND

HuaTanJiangQi (HTJQ) is a classical Chinese medicine compound preparation, mainly used for clinically treating and improving chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a rapid and efficient analytical method for the identification and characterization of chemical constituents in HTJQ based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS).

METHOD

UPLC-QTOF-MS was used to rapidly separate and identify the chemical constituents of HTJQ via a gradient elution system. The accurate mass data of the protonated and deprotonated molecules and fragment ions were detected in positive and negative ion modes. Compounds of HTJQ can be identified and assigned by analyzing accurate mass measurements and ion fragmentation mechanisms and comparing them with a chemical compositions database.

RESULTS

A total of 61 compounds in HTJQ were separated and identified, including 14 flavonoids, 16 organic acids, four isothiocyanic acids, eight butyl phthalides, two alkaloids, 10 terpenoids, four methoxyphenols and furanocoumarins, and three other compounds. The chemical compounds of HTJQ were identified and elucidated comprehensively for the first time.

CONCLUSIONS

A rapid, accurate, and efficient UPLC-QTOF-MS method has been developed for the identification of chemical components and applied to simultaneously evaluate the quality and effectiveness of HTJQ.

HIGHLIGHTS

Systematic identification of chemical constituents in HTJQ can provide a scientific and reasonable basis for the application of HTJQ in the clinical treatment of COPD.

Short Chain (≤C4) Esterification Increases Bioavailability of Rosmarinic Acid and Its Potency to Inhibit Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation

Rosmarinic acid is a natural phenolic acid and active compound found in many culinary plants, such as rosemary, mint, basil and perilla. Aiming to improve the pharmacokinetic profile of rosmarinic acid and its activity on vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, we generated a series of rosmarinic acid esters with increasing alkyl chain length ranging from C1 to C12. UHPLC-MS/MS analysis of rat blood samples revealed the highest increase in bioavailability of rosmarinic acid, up to 10.52%, after oral administration of its butyl ester, compared to only 1.57% after rosmarinic acid had been administered in its original form. When added to vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro, all rosmarinic acid esters were taken up, remained esterified and inhibited vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation with IC₅₀ values declining as the length of alkyl chains increased up to C4, with an IC₅₀ of 2.84 µM for rosmarinic acid butyl ester, as evident in a resazurin assay. Vascular smooth muscle cells were arrested in the G₀/G₁ phase of the cell cycle and the retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation was blocked. Esterification with longer alkyl chains did not improve absorption and resulted in cytotoxicity in in vitro settings. In this study, we proved that esterification with proper length of alkyl chains (C1-C4) is a promising way to improve in vivo bioavailability of rosmarinic acid in rats and in vitro biological activity in rat vascular smooth muscle cells.

Health-Promoting Effects of Thymus Phenolic-Rich Extracts: Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Antitumoral Properties

Thymus genus comprises numerous species that are particularly abundant in the West Mediterranean region. A growing body of evidence suggests that many of these species are a rich source of bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds such as rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acids and luteolin glycosides, able to render them potential applications in a range of industrial fields. This review collects the most relevant studies focused on the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer of phenolic-rich extracts from Thymus plants, highlighting correlations made by the authors with respect to the main phenolic players in such activities.

Ethyl Rosmarinate Prevents the Impairment of Vascular Function and Morphological Changes in L-NAME-Induced Hypertensive Rats

Background and Objectives: The potent, endothelium-independent, vasorelaxant effect of ethyl rosmarinate, an ester derivative of rosmarinic acid, makes it of interest as an alternative therapeutic agent for use in hypertension. This study was designed to investigate the effect of ethyl rosmarinate on Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced hypertensive rats. Materials and Methods: L-NAME was given orally to male Wistar rats for 6 weeks to induce hypertension concurrently with treatment of ethyl rosmarinate at 5, 15, or 30 mg/kgor enalapril at 10 mg/kg Systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate, and body weight of all experimental groups were recorded weekly, while the vascular sensitivity and histological changes of the aorta were evaluated at the end of the experiment. Results: For all treatment groups, the data indicated that ethyl rosmarinate significantly attenuated the SBP in hypertensive rats induced by L-NAME, with no significant differences in heart rate and body weight. In addition, the response of vascular sensitivity to acetylcholine (ACh) was improved but there was no significant difference in the response to sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Furthermore, the sensitivity of the aorta to phenylephrine (PE) was significantly decreased. The thickness of the aortic wall did not differ between groups but the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was increased in ethyl rosmarinate- and enalapril-treated groups compared with the hypertensive group. Conclusions: Ethyl rosmarinate is an interesting candidate as an alternative treatment for hypertension due to its ability to improve vascular function and to increase the expression of eNOS similar to enalapril which is a drug commonly used in hypertension.

Ethyl Rosmarinate Protects High Glucose-Induced Injury in Human Endothelial Cells

Ethyl rosmarinate (RAE) is one of the active constituents from Clinopodium chinense (Benth.) O. Kuntze, which is used for diabetic treatment in Chinese folk medicine. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of RAE on high glucose-induced injury in endothelial cells and explored its underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that both RAE and rosmarinic acid (RA) increased cell viability, decreased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and attenuated high glucose-induced endothelial cells apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, as evidenced by Hochest staining, Annexin V⁻FITC/PI double staining, and caspase-3 activity. RAE and RA both elevated Bcl-2 expression and reduced Bax expression, according to Western blot. We also found that LY294002 (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, or PI3K inhibitor) weakened the protective effect of RAE. In addition, PDTC (nuclear factor-κB, or NF-κB inhibitor) and SP600125 (c-Jun N-terminal kinase, or JNK inhibitor) could inhibit the apoptosis in endothelial cells caused by high glucose. Further, we demonstrated that RAE activated Akt, and the molecular docking analysis predicted that RAE showed more affinity with Akt than RA. Moreover, we found that RAE inhibited the activation of NF-κB and JNK. These results suggested that RAE protected endothelial cells from high glucose-induced apoptosis by alleviating reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and regulating the PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2 pathway, the NF-κB pathway, and the JNK pathway. In general, RAE showed greater potency than RA equivalent.

Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from the Roots of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza)

Danshen ( Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge) is one of the most used medicinal plants in the Oriental medicine and has been well studied for application in modern medicine. In our continuing study on chemical constituents of danshen cultivated in Vietnam, using chromatography separation resulted in the isolation of six phenolic compounds including a benzophenone, iriflophenone 2- O- α-L-rhamnopyranoside (1), and five phenolic acids including rosmarinic acid (2), rosmarinic acid methyl ester (3), rosmarinic acid ethyl ester (4), salvianolic acid A methyl ester (5) and salvianolic acid A ethyl ester (6) from the butanol portion of the danshen crude extract. Beside the typically main phenolic acid components, to our knowledge, iriflophenone 2- O- α-L-rhamnopyranoside (1) was first isolated from salvia sp. On biological testing, compound 1 showed strong antiproliferative activity on HL-60 leukemia cells with the IC50 of 8.9 μM; compounds 1 and 3–6 inhibited markedly nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 cells.