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Wang W, Jiang S, Zhao Y, Zhu G. Echinacoside: A promising active natural products and pharmacological agents. Pharmacol Res 2023; 197:106951. [PMID: 37804927 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Echinacoside, a natural phenylethanoid glycoside, was discovered and isolated from the garden plant Echinacea angustifolia DC., belonging to the Compositae family, approximately sixty years ago. Extensive investigations have revealed that it possesses a wide array of pharmacologically beneficial activities for human health, particularly notable for its neuroprotective and anticancer activity. Several crucial concerns surfaced, encompassing the recognition of active metabolites that exhibited inadequate bioavailability in their prototype form, the establishment of precise molecular signal pathways or targets associated with the aforementioned effects of echinacoside, and the scarcity of dependable clinical trials. Hence, the question remains unanswered as to whether scientific research can effectively utilize this natural compound. To support future studies on this natural product, it is imperative to provide a systematic overview and insights into potential future prospects. The current review provides a comprehensive analysis of the existing knowledge on echinacoside, encompassing its wide distribution, structural diversity and metabolism, diverse therapeutic applications, and improvement of echinacoside bioavailability for its potential utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Wang
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China; School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shujun Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
| | - Guoxue Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
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Qi XJ, Huang CY, Zuo MT, Gong MD, Huang SJ, Tang MH, Liu ZY. Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification to Unveil the Mechanism of N-Methyl-D-Aspartic Acid Rescue Humantenirine-Induced Excitotoxicity. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13020195. [PMID: 36837814 PMCID: PMC9966887 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13020195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Gelsemium is a medicinal plant that has been used to treat various diseases, but it is also well-known for its high toxicity. Complex alkaloids are considered the main poisonous components in Gelsemium. However, the toxic mechanism of Gelsemium remains ambiguous. In this work, network pharmacology and experimental verification were combined to systematically explore the specific mechanism of Gelsemium toxicity. The alkaloid compounds and candidate targets of Gelsemium, as well as related targets of excitotoxicity, were collected from public databases. The crucial targets were determined by constructing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Subsequently, Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were used to explore the bioprocesses and signaling pathways involved in the excitotoxicity corresponding to alkaloids in Gelsemium. Then, the binding affinity between the main poisonous alkaloids and key targets was verified by molecular docking. Finally, animal experiments were conducted to further evaluate the potential mechanisms of Gelsemium toxicity. A total of 85 alkaloids in Gelsemium associated with 214 excitotoxicity-related targets were predicted by network pharmacology. Functional analysis showed that the toxicity of Gelsemium was mainly related to the protein phosphorylation reaction and plasma membrane function. There were also 164 pathways involved in the toxic mechanism, such as the calcium signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway. Molecular docking showed that alkaloids have high affinity with core targets, including MAPK3, SRC, MAPK1, NMDAR2B and NMDAR2A. In addition, the difference of binding affinity may be the basis of toxicity differences among different alkaloids. Humantenirine showed significant sex differences, and the LD50 values of female and male mice were 0.071 mg·kg-1 and 0.149 mg·kg-1, respectively. Furthermore, we found that N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA), a specific NMDA receptor agonist, could significantly increase the survival rate of acute humantenirine-poisoned mice. The results also show that humantenirine could upregulate the phosphorylation level of MAPK3/1 and decrease ATP content and mitochondrial membrane potential in hippocampal tissue, while NMDA could rescue humantenirine-induced excitotoxicity by restoring the function of mitochondria. This study revealed the toxic components and potential toxic mechanism of Gelsemium. These findings provide a theoretical basis for further study of the toxic mechanism of Gelsemium and potential therapeutic strategies for Gelsemium poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Jia Qi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Chong-Yin Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Meng-Ting Zuo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Meng-Die Gong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Si-Juan Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Mo-Huan Tang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Zhao-Ying Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
- Correspondence:
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Liu J, Mu X, Liang J, Zhang J, Qiang T, Li H, Li B, Liu H, Zhang B. Metabolic profiling on the analysis of different parts of Schisandra chinensis based on UPLC-QTOF-MS with comparative bioactivity assays. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:970535. [PMID: 36518510 PMCID: PMC9742558 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.970535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Schisandra chinensis is an important edible plant, and previous phytochemical research focused on the S. chinensis fruit (SF) due to its long history as traditional Chinese medicine. Schisandra chinensis fruit was used as an astringent tonic to astringe the lungs and the kidneys, replenish energy, promote the production of body fluids, tonify the kidney, and induce sedation. The components of S. chinensis, such as its stems (SS), leaves (SL), and roots (SR), have drawn little attention regarding their metabolites and bioactivities. In this study, a strategy of combining a chemical database with the Progenesis QI informatics platform was applied to characterize the metabolites. A total of 332 compounds were tentatively identified, including lignans, triterpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, and other compound classes. Heatmap and principal component analysis (PCA) showed remarkable differences in different parts of the plants. By multiple orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analyses (OPLS-DA), 76 compounds were identified as potential marker compounds that differentiate these different plant parts. Based on the variable influence on the projection score from OPLS-DA, the active substances including gomisin D, schisandrol B, schisantherin C, kadsuranin, and kadlongilactone F supported the fact that the biological activity of the roots was higher than that of the fruit. These substances can be used as marker compounds in the plant roots, which likely contribute to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The plant roots could be a new medicinal source that exhibits better activity than that of traditional medicinal parts, which makes them worth exploring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiushi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xinlu Mu
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jinmei Liang
- Department of Pharmacy, Medical Guarantee Center Pla General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jianuo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Tingyan Qiang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hongbo Li
- College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Bin Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Haitao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Bengang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Wang H, Li Y, Bian Y, Li X, Wang Y, Wu K, Liu C, Liu Y, Wang X. Potential hepatoprotective effects of Cistanche deserticola Y.C. Ma: Integrated phytochemical analysis using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, target network analysis, and experimental assessment. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1018572. [PMID: 36313288 PMCID: PMC9597371 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1018572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cistanche deserticola Y.C. Ma (CD) possesses hepatoprotective activity, while the active ingredients and involved mechanisms have not been fully explored. The objective of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and hepatoprotective mechanisms of CD. We primarily used ultra-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) to identify the phenylethanoid glycoside (PhG) components of CD. Then, network analysis was used to correlate and predict the pharmacology of the identified active components of PhGs with hepatoprotection. Next, the mechanisms of the core components and targets of action were explored by cellular assays and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) target competition assays. Finally, its hepatoprotective effects were further validated in in vivo experiments. The results showed that a total of 34 PhGs were identified based on the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS method. Echinacoside (ECH) was identified as the key ingredient, and TLR4 and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) were speculated as the core targets of the hepatoprotective effect of CD via network analysis. The cellular assays confirmed that PhGs had significant anti-inflammatory activity. In addition, the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot indicated that ECH notably reduced the levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), as well as the mRNA expression of TLR4, TNF-α, and IL-6, and decreased the high expression of the TLR4 protein, which in turn downregulated the myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), p-P65 and TNF-α proteins in the inflammatory model. The target competition experiments suggested that ECH and LPS could competitively bind to the TLR4 receptor, thereby reducing the expression of TLR4 downstream proteins. The results of in vivo studies showed that ECH significantly ameliorated LPS-induced hepatic inflammatory infiltration and liver tissue damage and reduced serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels in mice. Moreover, ECH remarkably inhibited the release of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and MCP-1 in the serum of mice, exerting the hepatoprotective effect by the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. More importantly, ECH could act as a potential inhibitor of TLR4 and deserves further in-depth study. Our results could provide a basis for exploring the hepatoprotective properties of CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haichao Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yaying Li
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Classical Theory, Ministry of Education, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Basic Research, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yifei Bian
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xue Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yubei Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Ke Wu
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Chuanguo Liu
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Classical Theory, Ministry of Education, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Basic Research, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yuhong Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Classical Theory, Ministry of Education, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Basic Research, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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Zhang SS, Hou YF, Liu SJ, Guo S, Ho CT, Bai NS. Exploring Active Ingredients, Beneficial Effects, and Potential Mechanism of Allium tenuissimum L. Flower for Treating T2DM Mice Based on Network Pharmacology and Gut Microbiota. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14193980. [PMID: 36235633 PMCID: PMC9571170 DOI: 10.3390/nu14193980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Forty compounds were isolated and characterized from A. tenuissimum flower. Among them, twelve flavonoids showed higher α−glucosidase inhibition activities in vitro than acarbose, especially kaempferol. The molecular docking results showed that the binding of kaempferol to α−glucosidase (GAA) could reduce the hydrolysis of substrates by GAA and reduce the glucose produced by hydrolysis, thus exhibiting α−glucosidase inhibition activities. The in vivo experiment results showed that flavonoids−rich A. tenuissimum flower could decrease blood glucose and reduce lipid accumulation. The protein expression levels of RAC−alpha serine/threonine−protein kinase (AKT1), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARG), and prostaglandin G/H synthase 2 (PTGS2) in liver tissue were increased. In addition, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio was increased, the level of gut probiotics Bifidobacterium was increased, and the levels of Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus were decreased. The carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, and other pathways related to type 2 diabetes mellitus were activated. This study indicating flavonoids−rich A. tenuissimum flower could improve glycolipid metabolic disorders and inflammation in diabetic mice by modulating the protein expression and gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Shan Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Yu-Fei Hou
- Department of Food Science, College of Food Science and Technology, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Shao-Jing Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an 710021, China
| | - Sen Guo
- Department of Food Science, College of Food Science and Technology, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Chi-Tang Ho
- Department of Food Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Nai-Sheng Bai
- Department of Food Science, College of Food Science and Technology, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +029-88305208
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Research Progress on the Pharmacological Action of Schisantherin A. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:6420865. [PMID: 35190748 PMCID: PMC8858060 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6420865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Schisantherin A (Sch A) is a dibenzocyclooctadiene lignan monomer isolated from the fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (S. chinensis). At present, many studies have shown that Sch A has a wide range of pharmacological effects, including its anti-Parkinson and anti-inflammatory effects and ability to protect the liver, protect against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, suppress osteoclast formation, and improve learning and memory. Its mechanism may be related to the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties of Sch A through the MAPK, NF-κB, AKT/GSK3β, and PI3K/AKT pathways. This is the first review of the recent studies on the pharmacological mechanism of Sch A.
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