Repositioning of clinically approved drug Bazi Bushen capsule for treatment of Aizheimer's disease using network pharmacology approach and in vitro experimental validation

Intervention of Bazi Bushen Capsule on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Concomitant with Erectile Dysfunction Induced by Testosterone Supplementation in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

OBJECTIVE

To explore the intrinsic relationship between benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and erectile dysfunction (ED) and evaluate the therapeutic effects of Bazi Bushen Capsule (BZBS).

METHODS

A model of BPH concomitant with ED was established by using testosterone-supplemented spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Forty SHRs were divided into 4 groups based on the random number table (n=10 per group), including the model group (SHR+T), the BZBS low-dose group (SHR+T+BZ-low), the BZBS high-dose group (SHR+T+BZ-high), and the finasteride group (SHR+T+Fi). Ten Wistar-Kyoto rats were set up as the control group. Except for the control group, SHRs were subcutaneously injected with 3 mg/kg testosterone, and treated with different therapeutic modalities at the same time for 28 days. The androgen signaling markers related to the prostate, markers of cell proliferation and apoptosis, indicators of corpus cavernosum fibrosis and contraction/relaxation function, inflammatory markers in the prostate and corpus cavernosum tissue were assessed. Network pharmacology analysis was conducted to identify the key therapeutic targets of BZBS and to further validate the experimental findings.

RESULTS

BZBS significantly reduced prostate wet weight and prostate index, and improved pathological changes (P<0.01). BZBS modulated expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Bcl-2-associated X protein, and B-cell lymphoma 2 expression (P<0.05 or P<0.01). BZBS alleviated corpus cavernosum fibrosis, increased the smooth muscle area, upregulated α-smooth muscle actin expression, and improved functional markers-including Ras homolog family member A, Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase 2, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide, and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (P<0.05 or P<0.01). BZBS also regulated androgen levels, including dihydrotestosterone, 5α-reductase type II, and prostate-specific antigen (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Notably, BZBS effectively attenuated inflammatory responses in both the prostate and corpus cavernosum tissue (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Unlike finasteride-which primarily reduces prostate inflammation-BZBS exhibited a dual therapeutic effect on both BPH and ED. Network pharmacology further suggested that BZBS exerts its effects through multiple inflammation-related targets and pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic inflammation plays a crucial role in both BPH and ED. BZBS effectively ameliorates these conditions by modulating inflammatory processes.

The Potential Compounds in Lansium parasiticum Leaf Extract for Breast Cancer Therapy: Metabolite Profiling, Pharmacological Network Analysis and In Silico Validation

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to identify the compounds found in Lansium parasiticum leaf extract (LPLE) and explain its activity in the context of breast cancer prevention and therapy using a pharmacological network approach and its validation in silico to understand the molecular mechanisms involved.

METHODS

Identification of compounds in LPLE is done using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrophotometry (LC-MS/MS). We also identified absorption and bioavailability profiles using ADMET software. Predictions about the molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer compounds of LPLE were made through a network pharmacological approach involving devices such as Cytoscape 3.9.1, GeneCards, Disgenet, STRING 2.0.0, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) path, and SRplot. Interactions between potential compounds with TP53 receptors were analyzed using site-specific molecular docking, using PyRx Autodock Vina 9.0 and Biovia Discovery Studio.

RESULT

A total of 24 active compounds were successfully identified through LC-MS/MS. The results of the pharmacological network analysis of these compounds showed that there are four substances that have potential against the potential target gene of breast cancer, namely dihydrotestosterone with 8 target genes, Oxoberberine with 8 targets, Pregnenolone with 1 target gene, and Quercetine with 16 targets. The results of in silico validation revealed that the four compounds showed strong affinity to TP53, even higher than their original ligaments.

CONCLUSION

The study successfully identified the active compounds in Lansium parasiticum leaf extract (LPLE) that have potential in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

Gut aging: A wane from the normal to repercussion and gerotherapeutic strategies

Globally, age-related diseases represent a significant public health concern among the elderly population. In aging, healthy organs and tissues undergo structural and functional changes that put the aged adults at risk of diseases. Some of the age-related diseases include cancer, atherosclerosis, brain disorders, muscle atrophy (sarcopenia), gastrointestinal (GIT) disorders, etc. In organs, a decline in stem cell function is the starting point of many conditions and is extremely important in GIT disorder development. Many studies have established that aging affects stem cells and their surrounding supportive niche components. Although there is a significant advancement in treating intestinal aging, the rising elderly population coupled with a higher occurrence of chronic gut ailments necessitates more effective therapeutic approaches to preserve gut health. Notable therapeutic strategies such as Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and other health-promotion interventions have been reported in several studies to hold promise in mitigating age-related gut disorders. This review highlights findings across various facets of gut aging with a focus on aging-associated changes of intestinal stem cells and their niche components, thus a deviation from the normal to repercussion, as well as essential therapeutic strategies to mitigate intestinal aging.

Mechanism of Bazi Bushen capsule in delaying the senescence of mesenchymal stem cells based on network pharmacology and experimental validation

Ageing is becoming an increasingly serious problem; therefore, there is an urgent need to find safe and effective anti-ageing drugs.

Aims

To investigate the effects of Bazi Bushen capsule (BZBS) on the senescence of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and explore its mechanism of action.

Methods

Network pharmacology was used to predict the targets of BZBS in delaying senescence in MSCs. For in vitro studies, MSCs were treated with D-gal, BZBS, and NMN, and cell viability, cell senescence, stemness-related genes, and cell cycle were studied using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, SA-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining, Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qPCR) and flow cytometry (FCM), respectively. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alizarin red, and oil red staining were used to determine the osteogenic and lipid differentiation abilities of MSCs. Finally, the expression of senescence-related genes and cyclin-related factors was detected by qPCR and western blotting.

Results

Network pharmacological analysis suggested that BZBS delayed cell senescence by interfering in the cell cycle. Our in vitro studies suggested that BZBS could significantly increase cell viability (P < 0.01), decrease the quantity of β-galactosidase+ cells (P < 0.01), downregulate p16 and p21 (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), improve adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation, and upregulate Nanog, OCT4 and SOX2 genes (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in senescent MSCs. Moreover, BZBS significantly reduced the proportion of senescent MSCs in the G0/G1 phase (P < 0.01) and enhanced the expression of CDK4, Cyclin D1, and E2F1 (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively). Upon treatment with HY-50767A, a CDK4 inhibitor, the upregulation of E2F1 was no longer observed in the BZBS group.

Conclusions

BZBS can protect MSCs against D-gal-induced senescence, which may be associated with cell cycle regulation via the Cyclin D1/CDK4/E2F1 signalling pathway.