Raw and vinegar processed Curcuma wenyujin regulates hepatic fibrosis via bloking TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways and up-regulation of MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratio

Germacrone, isolated from Curcuma wenyujin, inhibits melanin synthesis through the regulation of the MAPK signaling pathway

Abnormal melanin synthesis causes hyperpigmentation disorders, such as chloasma, freckles, and melanoma, which are highly multiple and prevalent. There were few reports on the anti-melanogenic effect of Curcuma wenyujin Y.H. Chen et C. Ling, and the bioactive compound has not been elucidated as well. The study aims to investigate the anti-melanogenic effect of C. wenyujin, and identify the bioactive compound, and further explore its underlying mechanism. Our results showed that the Petroleum ether fraction extracted from C. wenyujin rhizome had a significant anti-melanogenic effect, and germacrone isolated from it was confirmed as the major bioactive compound. To our data, germacrone significantly inhibited tyrosinase (TYR) activity, reduced melanosome synthesis, reduced dendrites formation of B16F10 cells, and melanosome transport to keratinocytes. Moreover, germacrone effectively decreased the hyperpigmentation in zebrafish and the skin of guinea pigs in vivo. Western-blot analysis showed that germacrone down-regulated the expression of TYR, TRP-1, TRP-2, Rab27a, Cdc42, and MITF proteins via the activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. Taken together, germacrone is an effective bioactive compound for melanogenesis inhibition. Our studies suggest that germacrone may be considered a potential candidate for skin whitening.

Curcuma wenyujin rhizomes extract ameliorates lipid accumulation

Curcuma wenyujin (C. wenyujin) is a medicinal plant that is traditionally used to treat blood stagnation, liver fibrosis, pain, and jaundice. In this study, we examined the effect of C. wenyujin rhizome extract on hepatic lipid accumulation both in vivo and in vitro. We found that the petroleum ether fraction of C. wenyujin rhizome extract (CWP) considerably reduced the accumulation of lipids in HepG2 cells treated with oleic and palmitic acid. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometry was used to analyze the main chemical constituents of CWP, and 21 sesquiterpenes were identified. In vivo experiments revealed that the administration of CWP significantly reduced the body weight and serum total cholesterol (TC) level of low-density-lipoprotein receptor knockout mice treated with a high-fat diet without affecting their food intake. CWP also significantly reduced the levels of liver TC, liver triglycerides, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase. Histological examination revealed that CWP dose-dependently reduced steatosis in liver tissue, significantly downregulated the expression of lipogenesis genes, and increased the β-oxidation of fatty acids. CWP also significantly increased autophagy-related proteins. In conclusion, CWP rich in sesquiterpenes reduces the accumulation of lipids in vivo and in vitro by improving lipid metabolism and activating autophagy.

Pharmacokinetic study of five components of Fuzheng Huayu tablets in healthy human plasma

Natural medicines play a crucial role in clinical drug applications, serving as a primary traditional Chinese medicine for the clinical treatment of liver fibrosis. Understanding the in vivo metabolic process of the Fuzheng Huayu (FZHY) formula is essential for delving into its material basis and mechanism. In recent years, there has been a growing body of research focused on the mechanisms and component analysis of FZHY. This study aimed to examine the pharmacokinetics of FZHY in healthy volunteers following oral administration. Blood samples were collected at designated time intervals after the oral intake of 9.6-g FZHY tablets. A UHPLC-Q/Exactive method was developed to assess the plasma concentrations of five components post-FZHY ingestion. The peak time for all components occurred within 10 min. The peak concentration (Cmax ) values for amygdalin, schisandrin, and schisandrin A ranged from 3.47 to 28.80 ng/mL, with corresponding AUC(0-t) values ranging from 10.63 to 103.20 ng h/mL. For schisandrin B and prunasin, Cmax values were in the range of 86.52 to 229.10 ng/mL, and their AUC(0-t) values ranged from 375.26 to 1875.54 ng h/mL, indicating significant exposure within the body. These findings demonstrate that the developed method enables rapid and accurate detection and quantification of the five components in FZHY, offering a valuable reference for its clinical study.

The Extraction, Determination, and Bioactivity of Curcumenol: A Comprehensive Review

Curcuma wenyujin is a member of the Curcuma zedoaria (zedoary, Zingiberaceae) family, which has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) due to its abundant biologically active constituents. Curcumenol, a component of Curcuma wenyujin, has several biological activities. At present, despite different pharmacological activities being reported, the clinical usage of curcumenol remains under investigation. To further determine the characteristics of curcumenol, the extraction, determination, and bioactivity of the compound are summarized in this review. Existing research has reported that curcumenol exerts different pharmacological effects in regard to a variety of diseases, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-bactericidal, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer activity, and also ameliorates osteoporosis. This review of curcumenol provides a theoretical basis for further research and clinical applications.

Antioxidant therapy against TGF-β/SMAD pathway involved in organ fibrosis

Fibrosis refers to excessive build-up of scar tissue and extracellular matrix components in different organs. In recent years, it has been revealed that different cytokines and chemokines, especially Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is involved in the pathogenesis of fibrosis. It has been shown that TGF-β is upregulated in fibrotic tissues, and contributes to fibrosis by mediating pathways that are related to matrix preservation and fibroblasts differentiation. There is no doubt that antioxidants protect against different inflammatory conditions by reversing the effects of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur-based reactive elements. Oxidative stress has a direct impact on chronic inflammation, and as results, prolonged inflammation ultimately results in fibrosis. Different types of antioxidants, in the forms of vitamins, natural compounds or synthetic ones, have been proven to be beneficial in the protection against fibrotic conditions both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we reviewed the role of different compounds with antioxidant activity in induction or inhibition of TGF-β/SMAD signalling pathway, with regard to different fibrotic conditions such as gastro-intestinal fibrosis, cardiac fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, skin fibrosis, renal fibrosis and also some rare cases of fibrosis, both in animal models and cell lines.

Sources, morphology, phytochemistry, pharmacology of Curcumae Longae Rhizoma, Curcumae Radix, and Curcumae Rhizoma: a review of the literature

Curcumae Longae Rhizoma (turmeric), Curcumae Radix and Curcumae Rhizoma are derived from the Curcuma species, and have gradually become three of the most commonly used medicinal herbs in China due to their different origins, processing methods and medicinal part. These three herbs have certain similarities in morphology, chemical composition, and pharmacological effects. All three of these herbs contain curcuminoids and volatile oil compounds, which exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties, although modern clinical applications have their own requirements. At present, there is no systematic guidelines for the clinical application of these three of Curcuma species; consequently, there is a high risk of unwanted phenomena associated with the mixing and indiscriminate use of these herbs. In this review, we focus predominantly on morphology, chemical composition, and the pharmacological activity of these three Curcuma herbs and summarize the current status of research in this field. Our goal is to provide a better understanding of clinical value of these Curcuma species so that we can provide reference guidelines for their further development, utilization and rational clinical application.

Matrix metalloproteinases induce extracellular matrix degradation through various pathways to alleviate hepatic fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is the common consequence of various chronic liver injuries and is mainly characterized by the imbalance between the production and degradation of extracellular matrix, which leads to the accumulation of interstitial collagen and other matrix components. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their specific inhibitors, that is, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), play a crucial role in collagen synthesis and lysis. Previous in vivo and in vitro studies of our laboratory found repressing extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation by restoring the balance between MMPs and TIMPs can alleviate liver fibrosis. We conducted a review of articles published in PubMed and Science Direct in the last decade until February 1, 2023, which were searched for using these words "MMPs/TIMPs" and "Hepatic Fibrosis." Through a literature review, this article reviews the experimental studies of liver fibrosis based on MMPs/TIMPs, summarizes the components that may exert an anti-liver fibrosis effect by affecting the expression or activity of MMPs/TIMPs, and attempts to clarify the mechanism of MMPs/TIMPs in regulating collagen homeostasis, so as to provide support for the development of anti-liver fibrosis drugs. We found the MMP-TIMP-ECM interaction can result in better understanding of the pathogenesis and progression of hepatic fibrosis from a different angle, and targeting this interaction may be a promising therapeutic strategy for hepatic fibrosis. Additionally, we summarized and analyzed the drugs that have been found to reduce liver fibrosis by changing the ratio of MMPs/TIMPs, including medicine natural products.

Active ingredients screening and pharmacological mechanism research of curcumae rhizoma-sparganii rhizoma herb pair ameliorates liver fibrosis based on network pharmacology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Curcumae Rhizoma-Sparganii Rhizoma (CR-SR) is a classic herbal pair to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis in ancient China. However, the molecular mechanism is still unclear.

AIM OF STUDY

To screen out the anti-liver fibrosis active ingredients in CR-SR. Moreover, preliminary exploration the molecular mechanism of CR-SR to ameliorates liver fibrosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this research, plant taxonomy has been confirmed in the "The Plant List" database (www.theplantlist.org). The chemical components of CR-SR were analysed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS). "Component-Target-Pathway-Disease" network of CR-SR components were built by network pharmacology. Then, the interaction between primary components and predicted protein targets based on network pharmacology were validated by molecular docking. The pharmacological actions of CR-SR were verified by blood biochemical indexes, histopathologic examination of CCL₄ induced rats' model. The core protein targets were verified by Western blot. The effects of screened active components by molecular autodocking were verified by HSC-T6 cell experiment.

RESULTS

The result shows that 57 chemical constituents in CR-SR herbal pair were identified by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS, in which, 27 compounds were closely connected with liver fibrosis related protein targets. 55 protein targets screened out by "component-target-pathway-disease network" maybe the underlying targets for CR-SR to cure liver fibrosis. Moreover, the 55 protein targets are mainly related to RNA transcription, apoptosis, and signal transduction. The molecular autodocking predicted that ten components can bond well with PTGS2 and RELA protein targets. The blood biochemical indexes, histopathologic examination of CCL₄ induced rats experiment showed that CR-SR has well intervention effect of liver fibrosis. The Western blot analysis indicated that CR-SR could significantly inhibit RELA, PTGS2, IL-6, SRC, and AKT1 protein expression to exert the anti-fibrosis effect. The HSC-T6 cell experiment indicated that both formononetin (FNT) and curdione could significantly inhibit the activation of HSC and reduce the expression of PTGS2, and p-AKT1 which was accordance with the molecular autodocking results.

CONCLUSION

This study proved the molecular mechanism of CR-SR multi-component and multi-target anti-liver fibrosis effect through mass spectrometry, network pharmacology, and western blotting technology. The research provides a theoretical evidence for the development and utilization of CR-SR herbal pair.

Uncovering the molecular mechanisms of Curcumae Rhizoma against myocardial fibrosis using network pharmacology and experimental validation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Myocardial fibrosis leads to cardiac remodeling and dysfunction. Curcumae Rhizoma has been utilized in clinical trials to treat a variety of cardiovascular illnesses, although its role in myocardial fibrosis is unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of current study was to explore the potential mechanism action and anti-myocardial fibrosis effects of treatment with Curcumae Rhizoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The chemical components in the aqueous extract from Curcumae Rhizoma were identified using GC-MS analysis. A prediction network describing the relationship between Curcumae Rhizoma and MF was established based on information collected from multiple databases. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to investigate the specific functions and pathways involved in the candidate Curcumae Rhizoma targets acting on MF, which were further validated by vivo experiments.

RESULTS

There were 444 targets obtained from the 39 active ingredients in Curcumae Rhizoma, and 5691 disease targets related to MF were identified. Then, 41 key targets were determined with the PPI interaction network, which was structured from 324 overlapping gene targets. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that the p38 MAPK/NF-κB and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathways might play crucial roles in the therapeutic mechanism of MF. According to the results of molecular docking, the binding activity between core components and targets was marvelous (affinity < -6 kcal/mol). Take it a step further, the experimental validation data affirmed that Curcumae Rhizoma substantially decreased myocardial fibrosis and recovered cardiac function in the ISO-induced rats. The associated proteins expression data implied that the p38 MAPK/NF-κB and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathways might be vital in the anti-fibrosis effect of Curcumae Rhizoma.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggested that Curcumae Rhizoma diminished myocardial fibrosis by suppressing fibrosis multiplication and collagen deposition through inhibiting p38 MAPK/NF-κB and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathways, which might be a promising therapeutic medicament for alleviating myocardial fibrosis.

Revealing the mechanism of raw and vinegar-processed Curcuma aromatica Salisb. [Zingiberaceae] regulates primary dysmenorrhea in rats via integrated metabolomics

Primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) is a common disorder among women around the world. Two processed products of Curcuma aromatica Salisb. [Zingiberaceae] (CAS) are traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that have long been used to treat gynecological blood stasis syndrome such as primary dysmenorrhea. The mechanisms and active substances of CAS are still largely unknown. The study aimed to establish a rat model of primary dysmenorrhea which investigates the differences between the pharmacodynamics and mechanisms of raw CAS (RCAS) and vinegar-processed CAS (VCAS). Histopathology, cytokinetics, and metabolomics were adopted to evaluate the anti-blood stasis effect of RCAS and VCAS. In metabolomics, endogenous differential metabolites in plasma, urine, and feces are the essential steps to evaluate the effect of RCAS and VCAS. In this study, the rat model of primary dysmenorrhea was successfully established. After RCAS and VCAS intervention, the uterine tissue morphology of dysmenorrhea model rats was improved, and gland hypertrophy and myometrial hyperplasia were reduced as well as neutrophil content. Compared with the RCAS group, the VCAS group had better uterine morphology, few inflammatory factors, and significantly improved amino acid and lipid metabolism. The aforementioned results support the conclusion that VCAS performed better than RCAS in primary dysmenorrhea and that vinegar processing increases the efficacy of CAS.

Therapeutic mechanism of Curcuma aromatica Salisb. rhizome against coronary heart disease based on integrated network pharmacology, pharmacological evaluation and lipidomics

Curcuma aromatica Salisb. rhizome (CASR) has multifunctional characteristics worldwide and a long history of use as a botanical drug with. Currently, it is often used clinically to treat coronary heart disease (CHD) caused by blood stasis syndrome. However, the therapeutic mechanism of CASR in the treatment of CHD remains poorly understood. In study, the main chemical constituents of CASR were analyzed using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Then, its potential therapeutic mechanism against CHD was predicted. Subsequently, pharmacological evaluation was performed using CHD rat model. Finally, a lipidomics approach was applied to explore the different lipid metabolites to verify the regulation of CASR on lipid metabolism disorders in CHD. A total of 35 compounds was identified from CASR. Seventeen active components and 51 potential targets related to CHD were screened by network pharmacology, involving 13 key pathways. In vivo experiments showed that CASR could significantly improve myocardial infarction, blood stasis, and blood lipid levels and regulate the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in CHD rats. Lipidomics further showed that CASR could regulate abnormal sphingolipid, glycerophospholipid, and glycerolipid metabolism in CHD rats. The therapeutic mechanism of CASR against CHD was initially elucidated and included the regulation of lipid metabolism. Its effects may be attributed to active ingredients, such as curzerene, isoprocurcumenol, and (+)-curcumenol. This study reveals the characteristics of multi-component and multi-pathway of CASR in the treatment of CHD, which provides a basis for the follow-up development and utilization of CASR.

Gut microbiota combined with metabolomics reveal the mechanism of curcumol on liver fibrosis in mice

OBJECTIVE

Liver fibrosis is a reversible pathological process, and its prevention and treatment hold great significance for patients with chronic liver disease. This study combined 16S rRNA analysis of gut microbiota and serum metabolomics to explore the mechanism of curcumol's effect on liver fibrosis in mice. The results clarified the relationship between the gut microbiota and metabolites in the process of liver fibrosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, we randomly divided mice into a control group, a model group, and a curcumol treatment group to analyze the pathological changes in the liver tissue as well as the activities of the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factory kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and inflammatory factors, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and IL-8. The gut microbiota were analyzed by 16 S rRNA sequencing, and serum metabolites were examined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomic analysis.

RESULTS

Molecular biological testing found that curcumol could significantly improve the pathological changes of the liver tissue and inhibit the occurrence of liver inflammation. Intestinal flora testing found that curcumol could significantly change the abundances of Veillonellaceae, Prerotella_oulorum, and Alistipes_finegoldii. Metabolomics analysis found that curcumol's antihepatic fibrosis effect may be related to its regulation of arachidonic acid metabolism. Correlation analysis suggested that curcumol regulated the abundances of Bacteroidota and Bacteroides and participated in the metabolism of Prostaglandin B2.

CONCLUSIONS

When liver fibrosis occurs, the intestinal flora and metabolic network are altered. The effect of curcumol on liver fibrosis may be related to its regulation of intestinal flora and the resulting interference with metabolic pathways, thereby reducing liver inflammation.

Curcumae rhizoma and its major constituents against hepatobiliary disease: Pharmacotherapeutic properties and potential clinical applications

BACKGROUND

Hepatobiliary disease currently serves as an urgent health issue in public due to health-modulating factors such as extension of life expectancy, increasingly sedentary lifestyles and over-nutrition. A definite treatment remains lacking owing to different stages of the disease itself and its intricate pathogenesis. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been gradually popularized in clinic with the satisfactory efficacy and good safety. Curcumae Rhizoma (called E Zhu, EZ in Chinese) is a representative herb, which has been used to treat hepatobiliary disease for thousands of years.

PURPOSE

To systematically summarize the recent research advances on the pharmacological activities of EZ and its constituents, explain the underlying mechanisms of preventing and treating hepatobiliary diseases, and assess the shortcomings of existing work. Besides, ethnopharmacology, phytochemicals, and toxicology of EZ have been researched.

METHODS

The information about EZ was collected from various sources including classic books about Chinese herbal medicine, and scientific databases including Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Springer, ACS, SCOPUS, CNKI, CSTJ, and WANFANG using keywords given below and terms like pharmacological and phytochemical details of this plant.

RESULTS

The chemical constituents isolated and identified from EZ, such as terpenoids including β-elemene, furanodiene, germacrone, etc. and curcuminoids including curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, etc. prove to have hepatoprotective effect, anti-liver fibrotic effect, anti-fatty liver effect, anti-liver neoplastic effect, and cholagogic effect through TGF-β1/Smad, JNK1/2-ROS, NF-κB and other anti-inflammatory and antioxidant signaling pathways. Also, EZ is often combined with other Chinese herbs in the treatment of hepatobiliary diseases with good clinical efficacy and no obvious adverse reactions.

CONCLUSION

It provides a preclinical basis for the efficacy of EZ as an effective therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of hepatobiliary diseases. Even so, the further studies still needed to alleviate hepatotoxicity and expand clinical application.

Tracing analgesic constituents from crude and vinegar-processed resin of Boswellia carterii by integrating ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry based determination, analgesic evaluation in mice and grey relationship analysis

The analgesic effect of resin of Boswellia carterii is well-known, however, the constituents which contribute to the analgesic effect remain elusive. The current study intergrates ultrasonic assisted extraction, quantitative determination, analgesic evaluation in rats and grey relationship analysis for tracing analgesic constituents from resin of Boswellia carterii. First, a robust and precise ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry approach with multiple reaction monitoring mode was developed for simultaneous quantification of seven major constituents in crude and vinegar-processed resin of Boswellia carterii. Glycyrrhetinic acid was chosen as the internal standard. The approach showed good linearity. The intra-day and inter-day precisions of each constituent were all within 3.0%. The recoveries of each constituent were in the range of 96.4 to 102.7%. The approach was then applied to determining the seven constituents in ten batches of crude and vinegar-processed resin of Boswellia carterii. Second, the analgesic effects of crude and vinegar-processed resin of Boswellia carterii were assessed in mice. Third, chemometrics methods, grey relationship analysis and partial least squares regression were employed for clarifying the relationship between the contents of seven constituents and their analgesic effect. 11-Keto-β-boswellic acid, 3-acetyl-β-boswellic acid, 3-acetyl-α-boswellic acid, 3-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid and β-sitosterol were identified to be the key analgesic constituents of Boswellia carterii.

Pathogenesis of Liver Fibrosis and Its TCM Therapeutic Perspectives

Liver fibrosis is a pathological process of abnormal tissue proliferation in the liver caused by various pathogenic factors, which will further develop into cirrhosis or even hepatocellular carcinoma if liver injury is not intervened in time. As a diffuse progressive liver disease, its clinical manifestations are mostly excessive deposition of collagen-rich extracellular matrix resulting in scar formation due to liver injury. Hepatic fibrosis can be caused by hepatitis B and C, fatty liver, alcohol, and rare diseases such as hemochromatosis. As the metabolic center of the body, the liver regulates various vital activities. During the development of fibrosis, it is influenced by many other factors in addition to the central event of hepatic stellate cell activation. Currently, with the increasing understanding of TCM, the advantages of TCM with multiple components, pathways, and targets have been demonstrated. In this review, we will describe the factors influencing liver fibrosis, focusing on the effects of cells, intestinal flora, iron death, signaling pathways, autophagy and angiogenesis on liver fibrosis, and the therapeutic effects of herbal medicine on liver fibrosis.

Diallyl trisulfide plays an antifibrotic role by inhibiting the expression of Bcl‐2 in hepatic stellate cells

Hepatic fibrosis is an important early stage in the evolution of liver cirrhosis, and specific medicine and therapeutic measures are unavailable to date. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the main cells involved in the formation of hepatic fibrosis, and induction of the apoptosis of HSCs is an important strategy for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis. Diallyl trisulfide (DATS) is a natural product and is the main active ingredient in garlic. However, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying HSC apoptosis induced by DATS are not well understood. This study aimed to analyze the efficiency and mechanism of DATS in hepatic fibrosis. Different concentrations (25, 50, 100, and 200 μM) of DATS were used to treat HSCs. Changes in cell morphology and formation of apoptotic bodies were observed under an inverted microscope and an electric microscope. Bcl‐2 signaling involving Bax, Caspase‐3, Caspase‐6, Caspase‐8, Caspase‐9, p53, Apaf‐1, and Cyto‐c in fibrosis were examined, which is a critical step in the evaluation of antihepatic fibrosis agents. We also evaluated the effect of DATS on the cellular morphology of HSCs and apoptosis‐related factors under different Bcl‐2 expression states. Our results suggest that DATS regulates hepatic fibrosis by blocking the Bcl‐2 signaling pathway and upregulating the Bax/Bcl‐2 ratio.

Network Pharmacology Prediction and Molecular Docking-Based Strategy to Discover the Potential Pharmacological Mechanism of Wen-Yu-Jin against Pulmonary Fibrosis in a Mouse Model

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a devastating lung disease, resulting in gas exchange dysfunction until death. The two drugs approved by the FDA, pirfenidone and nintedanib, have obvious side effects. Wen-yu-jin (WYJ), one of the commonly used herbs in China, can treat respiratory diseases. The potential effects and the underlying mechanism of WYJ against PF are unclear.

PURPOSE

Employing network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo and in vitro experiments to explore the potential effects and underlying mechanisms of WYJ in the treatment of PF.

METHODS

Ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography combined with linear ion trap-orbital tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-orbital trap) was used to identify compounds of WYJ. We got PF-related targets and WYJ compounds-related targets from public databases and further completed critical targets exploration, network construction, and pathway analysis by network pharmacology. Molecular docking predicted binding activity of WYJ compounds and critical targets. Based on the above results, in vivo and in vitro experiments validated the potential effects and mechanisms of WYJ against PF.

RESULTS

23 major compositions of WYJ were identified based on UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap. According to the results of network pharmacology, STAT3, SRC, IL6, MAPK1, AKT1, EGFR, MAPK8, MAPK14, and IL1B are critical therapeutic targets. Molecular docking results showed that most of the compounds have good binding activities with critical targets. The results of in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that WYJ alleviated the process of fibrosis by targeting MAPK and STAT3 pathways.

CONCLUSION

Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo and in vitro experiments showed the potential effects and mechanisms of WYJ against PF, which provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of WYJ with PF.

Crosstalk of LncRNA HOTAIR and SP1-mediated repression of PDK1 contributes to β-Elemene-inhibited proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a liver malignancy which lacks effective treatment and has a poor prognosis. β-Elemene refers to a natural Curcuma wenyujin-derived single molecular entity, which exhibits various biological activities, and is especially well-known for it's antitumor properties.

AIM OF THE RESEARCH

LncRNA HOTAIR, SP1, and PDK1 have displayed oncogenic roles in many tumors, participating in the initiation and progression of cancers by mediating multiple signaling pathways. However, there are only a few reports about their roles and mutual relationship in the growth of HCC cells. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the expression of LncRNA HOTAIR, SP1, and PDK1 and their interaction with β-Elemene in HCC cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MTT, a Colony formation assay, and flow cytometry were employed to evaluate the growth of HCC and LO2 cells under β-Elemene. LncRNA HOTAIR, SP1 and PDK1 plasmids were transfected into HCC cells by a transient transfection assay, and the expression and interaction of LncRNA HOTAIR, SP1 and PDK1 were assessed via qRT-PCR and western blotting.

RESULTS

β-Elemene suppressed HCC cell growth through the downregulation of LncRNA HOTAIR, SP1 and PDK1. The results demonstrated a reciprocal interaction among LncRNA HOTAIR, SP1 and PDK1. Exogenous overexpression LncRNA HOTAIR or SP1 eliminated the suppressive effects of β-Elemene on them, and both of which regulated PDK1 expression in HCC cells. Additionally, exogenously overexpressed SP1 or LncRNA HOTAIR prevented β-Elemene inhibition of the protein-level expression of PDK1, whereas overexpressing PDK1 had no effect on SP1, though it still weakened the inhibition of cell growth and LncRNA HOTAIR expression by β-Elemene.

CONCLUSION

β-Elemene suppresses HCC cell proliferation via through the regulation of LncRNA HOTAIR, SP1, PDK1 and their interaction.

Effects of novel Fufang Biejia Ruangan Tablets with sheep placenta as substitute for hominis placenta on CCl4-induced liver fibrosis

Objective

Fufang Biejia Ruangan Tablet (FBRT) is widely used for the treatment of liver fibrosis. However, Hominis Placenta (HP), as an important adjuvant of FBRT, has been restricted for medicinal using due to the limited availability, ethical controversy and safety issues. The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of novel FBRT (N-FBRT) with sheep placenta (SP) as substitute for HP on liver fibrosis and explore its possible mechanisms. Different dosages of SP in N-FBRT were also evaluated.

Methods

Rats were subcutaneously injected with CCl₄ to induce liver fibrosis and then treated with N-FBRT and FBRT. The anti-hepatic fibrosis effect was determined based on biomarkers analysis of liver function and hepatic fibrosis, and the liver pathology was visualized by H&E staining and Masson staining. The oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines were also detected. Immunohistochemical staining of α-SMA, real time PCR and Western blotting were performed to evaluate hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation and TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Results

N-FBRT and FBRT could ameliorate CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis and improve liver function, as evidenced by lowering serum biomarkers levels of liver function and hepatic fibrosis, and decreasing hepatic Hyp content and collagen deposition, and improving the hepatic morphology and architecture changes. Moreover, the anti-liver fibrosis effect was better when the dosage of SP used in N-FBRT was 1/2 of HP in FBRT. Administration of N-FBRT markedly alleviated oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines, and inhibited α-SMA expression. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of Col I, Col III, α-SMA and TGF-β1, and proteins expression of α-SMA, TGF-β1, Smad2/3 and p-Smad2/3 were significantly down-regulated by N-FBRT treatment.

Conclusion

SP can be used as substitute for HP to prepare N-FBRT for the treatment of liver fibrosis and the anti-liver fibrosis effect of N-FBRT is achieved by eliminating oxidative stress and inflammation, and inhibiting HSCs activation and ECM production by blocking TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Vanillin augments liver regeneration effectively in Thioacetamide induced liver fibrosis rat model

AIMS

This study has been designed to investigate the role of vanillin either as prophylaxis or treatment in liver regeneration augmentation and liver fibrosis regression in thioacetamide (TAA) induced liver damage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Animals were injected with TAA to induce liver injury (200mg/kg twice weekly) for 8 weeks. In vanillin prophylaxis group; rats were administered vanillin (100 mg/Kg; IP, daily) from day 1 of TAA injection for 8 weeks. In vanillin treatment group; rats were confronted with the same dose of TAA injection for 8 weeks then treated with vanillin (100 mg/Kg, IP, daily) for 4 weeks. ALT, AST activities, serum albumin, hepatic GSH, MDA, HGF, VEGF, IL-6 and TNF-α levels were measured and also, MMP-2, TIMP-1 and cyclin D gene expression were determined. Liver sections were stained with H&E and Sirius red and immunostained for Ki-67 and α-SMA for histological and immunohistological changes analysis.

KEY FINDINGS

Vanillin improved liver function and histology. Also, showed a remarkable increase in hepatic HGF and VEGF level, and up-regulation of cyclin D1 expression accompanied by a significant up-regulation of MMP-2 and down- regulation of TIMP-1. All these effects were accompanied by TNF-α, IL-6 and oxidative stress significant attenuation.

SIGNIFICANCE

In conclusion, vanillin enhanced liver regeneration in TAA induced liver damage model; targeting growth factors (HGF, VEGF) and cellular proliferation marker cyclin D1. As well as stimulating fibrosis regression by inhibition of ECM accumulation and enhancing its degradation.

Screening of blood-activating active components from Curcuma wenyujin Y.H. Chen et C. Ling rhizome based on spectrum-effect relationship analysis and network pharmacology

Curcuma wenyujin Y.H. Chen et C. Ling rhizome (also called EZhu in China) has long been used as plant medicine for its traditional effect on promoting blood circulation and remove blood stasis. However, the active components of EZhu are still unclear at present. This research is managed to investigate the pharmacodynamics material basis on removing blood stasis of EZhu by exploring the spectrum-effect relationship between UPLC-Q/TOF-MS fingerprints and pharmacologic actions. Hemorheology and related functional parameters were detected to evaluate the pharmacologic actions of EZhu. Relative content Changes of components in rat plasma were detected by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS. A compound-target-pathway network was built to predict the pharmacological activity of components in plasma. Then, bivariate correlation analysis (BCA) was used to explore the correlation degree between components in plasma and pharmacologic actions of EZhu. In UPLC-Q/TOF-MS fingerprints of rat plasma, 10 prototype components were identified. BCA results show that 8 components were concerned with the pharmacological activity for treating blood stasis syndrome (BSS) in varying degrees (R > 0.5, P < 0.05). Among them, zedoarofuran and curzerenone have shown correlation with more pharmacological indicators. The network predicted that 80 targets were closely related to 10 components, in which 48 targets were connected with 159 metabolic pathways including arachidonic acid metabolism, sphingolipid signaling pathway, and linoleic acid metabolism. Overall, this study provided a scientific basis for TCM quality control to ensure its safety and efficacy.

The Potential Application of Chinese Medicine in Liver Diseases: A New Opportunity

Liver diseases have been a common challenge for people all over the world, which threatens the quality of life and safety of hundreds of millions of patients. China is a major country with liver diseases. Metabolic associated fatty liver disease, hepatitis B virus and alcoholic liver disease are the three most common liver diseases in our country, and the number of patients with liver cancer is increasing. Therefore, finding effective drugs to treat liver disease has become an urgent task. Chinese medicine (CM) has the advantages of low cost, high safety, and various biological activities, which is an important factor for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases. This review systematically summarizes the potential of CM in the treatment of liver diseases, showing that CM can alleviate liver diseases by regulating lipid metabolism, bile acid metabolism, immune function, and gut microbiota, as well as exerting anti-liver injury, anti-oxidation, and anti-hepatitis virus effects. Among them, Keap1/Nrf2, TGF-β/SMADS, p38 MAPK, NF-κB/IκBα, NF-κB-NLRP3, PI3K/Akt, TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB and IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathways are mainly involved. In conclusion, CM is very likely to be a potential candidate for liver disease treatment based on modern phytochemistry, pharmacology, and genomeproteomics, which needs more clinical trials to further clarify its importance in the treatment of liver diseases.

Regulation of transforming growth factor-β signalling by SUMOylation and its role in fibrosis

Fibrosis is an abnormal healing process that only repairs the structure of an organ after injury and does not address damaged functions. The pathogenesis of fibrosis is multifactorial and highly complex; numerous signalling pathways are involved in this process, with the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signalling pathway playing a central role. TGF-β regulates the generation of myofibroblasts and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition by regulating transcription and translation of downstream genes and precisely regulating fibrogenesis. The TGF-β signalling pathway can be modulated by various post-translational modifications, of which SUMOylation has been shown to play a key role. In this review, we focus on the function of SUMOylation in canonical and non-canonical TGF-β signalling and its role in fibrosis, providing promising therapeutic strategies for fibrosis.

Curcumae Radix: a review of its botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology

OBJECTIVES

Curcumae Radix, the medicinal part is radix, commonly called as Yujin (Chinese:), is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine for its high medicinal value and health benefits. Curcumae Radix has been used to treat conditions such as syndrome of heat disease and unconsciousness, epilepsy and internal stagnation of phlegm, qi stagnation and blood stasis, dysmenorrhoea, jaundice, cholelithiasis caused by dampness heat of liver and gallbladder. This review aims to summarize the botany, traditional usages, processing, phytochemistry, quality control, pharmacology and toxicology of Curcumae Radix to better understand its therapeutic potential.

KEY FINDINGS

So far, a variety of chemical constituents have been isolated and identified from Curcumae Radix, mainly including volatile oil and diphenylheptanes. Modern research shows that the extracts and compounds from Curcumae Radix possess wide-ranging pharmacological effects, including anti-tumour, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, anti-thrombosis, as well as effects on the nervous system and others.

SUMMARY

Curcumae Radix holds an important position in traditional system of medicine. It is cost-effective and an important plant with curative application in contemporary medicine. However, further in-depth studies are also needed to determine the medical uses of this plant and its chemical constituents, pharmacological activity, quality control and toxicology.

Essential oil from the raw and vinegar-processed Rhizoma Curcumae ameliorate CCl4-induced liver fibrosis: integrating network pharmacology and molecular mechanism evaluation

Liver fibrosis, caused by multiple chronic liver injuries, is a known contributor to cirrhosis and even liver cancer. As a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Rhizoma curcumae has been extensively used in the treatment of liver fibrosis with satisfying therapeutic effects; however, its mechanism is unclear. The essential oil is the main bioactive component. The purpose of this study was to investigate the chemical profile and the pharmacological mechanisms of the essential oil of Rhizoma curcumae (EORC) against liver fibrosis by combining network pharmacology and transcriptomic technologies. A total of 37 active compounds were identified using the GC/MS system and literature mining, and the corresponding putative targets were predicted. Then, network pharmacology method was applied to identify the 168 candidate targets of EORC-alleviated liver fibrosis. String database and Cytoscape software were used to build the herb-compound-target network and protein-protein interactions (PPIs) network. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis indicated that EORC significantly influenced TGF-β1/Smads and PI3K/AKT pathways. Experimentally, we verified that EORC attenuated the severity and pathological changes during liver fibrosis progression based on the CCl4-induced liver fibrosis rat model. Transcriptomic technologies demonstrated that EORC ameliorated liver fibrosis partially by regulating the TGF-β1/Smads and PI3K/AKT pathways. In addition, the effect of vinegar-processed EORC was more significant than that of the raw one. Therefore, EORC can alleviate the severity of liver fibrosis through mechanisms predicted by network pharmacology and provide a basis for the further understanding of the application of EORC in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Bioactive constituents and the molecular mechanism of Curcumae Rhizoma in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

BACKGROUND

Curcumae Rhizoma (CR) has a clinical efficacy in activating blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis and has been used for the clinical treatment of qi stagnation and blood stasis (QSBS) primary dysmenorrhea for many years. However, its molecular mechanism is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to demonstrate the multicomponent, multitarget and multipathway regulatory molecular mechanisms of CR in the treatment of QSBS primary dysmenorrhea.

METHODS

Observations of pathological changes in uterine tissues and biochemical assays were used to confirm that a rat model was successfully established and that CR was effective in the treatment of QSBS primary dysmenorrhea. The main active components of CR in rat plasma were identified and screened by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS). The component-target-disease network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of CR were constructed by a network pharmacology approach. Then, we performed Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Molecular docking was adopted to verify the interactions between the core components and targets of CR to confirm the accuracy of the network pharmacology prediction results. Furthermore, we evaluated the bioactive constituents of CR and molecular mechanism of by which CR promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis via platelet tests in vivo and in vitro and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

The results of HE staining and biochemical assays of PGF2α, TXB2 and Ca2+ showed that CR was effective in the treatment of QSBS primary dysmenorrhea. A total of 36 active components were identified in CR, and 329 common targets were obtained and used to construct the networks. Of these, 14 core components and 10 core targets of CR in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea were identified. The GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that the common targets were involved in multiple signaling pathways, including the calcium, cAMP, MAPK, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways, as well as platelet activation, which is closely related to platelet aggregation. The molecular docking results showed that the 14 core components and 10 core targets could bind spontaneously. Two core targets (MAPK1 and CCR5) and 7 core components (Isoprocurcumenol, Curcumadione, Epiprocurcumenol, (+)-Curdione, Neocurdione, Procurcumenol, and 13-Hydroxygermacrone) were closely related to CR in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. Furthermore, the in vivo platelet test showed that CR clearly inhibited platelet aggregation. Five core components ((+)-Curdione, Neocurdione, Isoprocurcumenol, Curcumadione and Procurcumenol) obviously inhibited platelet aggregation in vitro. In addition, based on the relationships among the signaling pathways, we confirmed that CR can effectively inhibit the expression of MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway-related proteins and decrease the protein expression levels of ERK, JNK, MAPK, PI3K, AKT and CCR5, thereby inhibiting platelet aggregation.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated the bioactive constituents and mechanisms of CR in promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis and its multicomponent, multitarget and multipathway treatment characteristics in primary dysmenorrhea. The results provide theoretical evidence for the development and utilization of CR.

Tectona grandis leaf extract ameliorates hepatic fibrosis: Modulation of TGF- β /Smad signaling pathway and upregulating MMP3/TIMP1 ratio

ETHNOBOTANICAL RELEVANCE

Tectona grandis L.f (or syn: Jatus grandis (L.f.) Kuntze Revis), from family Lamiaceae, also known as Teak, is widely recognized in ayurvedic system of medicine and confer curative potential against inflammation, liver disorders, biliousness, diabetes, bronchitis, leprosy and dysentery. Its leaves are rich source of edible food colorant and reported nontoxic for liver and various organs.

AIM OF STUDY

Hepatic injury progression to liver cirrhosis and cancer is a serious health issue across the world. Currently, anti-fibrotic therapeutic options are limited and expensive with no FDA approved direct anti-hepato-fibrotic drug validated in clinic. Thus, the aim of this study was to understand ameliorative effect of Tectona grandis L.f, leaves in early liver fibrosis.

METHOD AND RESULTS

C57BL/6 mice suffering from CCl4 induced liver injury, were orally administered at three different doses (50, 100 & 200 mg/kg) of Tectona grandis L.f, leaf extract, thrice a week, up to 4 and 8 weeks. Anti-fibrotic effect was evaluated through animal body/liver weight measurements, serological tests (AST, ALT, GSH, MDA and LDH assays), tissue hydroxyproline content, and histochemical analysis (H&E, Masson trichrome, Sirius red and αSMA localization). Moreover, transcriptional and post-transcriptional expression of fibrosis associated biomarkers and TGF-β/Smad cascade were analyzed. It was observed that 100 mg/kg dose optimally downregulated TGF-β1/Smad2 with upregulation of Smad7 and regulated αSMA, Col 1, PDGF, TIMP1 and MMP3 expression, post 8 weeks of treatment. In addition, MMP3/TIMP1 ratio was upregulated to 0.7, 2.5 and 1.7 fold at 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg & 200 mg/kg treatments respectively, in comparison to untreated liver fibrosis models. The extract contains gallic acid, caffeic acid, sinapinic acid and myricetin when analyzed through high performance liquid chromatography.

CONCLUSION

Tectona grandis L.f, leaves have potential to ameliorate liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 in mice via modulation of TGF-β1/Smad pathway and upregulated MMP3/TIMP1 ratio.

Review of the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of Curcuma wenyujin Y. H. Chen et C. Ling

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Curcuma wenyujin is a multifunctional medicinal plant belonging to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). It has been used to treat blood stasis, promote the flow of qi, dredge the meridians, and relieve pain for more than 1500 years. Its raw rhizomes, steamed rhizomes, and steamed roots constitute three herbal medicines currently listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia: pian-jiang-huang (), wen-e-zhu () and wen-yu-jin (), respectively.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

The aim of this review was to comprehensively summarize the traditional use, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of C. wenyujin in order to provide theoretical support for its further investigation and utilization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Multiple databases (Scifinder, CNKI, Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Baidu Scholar) were searched. Some information was also obtained from the literatures on traditional Chinese medicine.

RESULTS

A total of 169 compounds have been isolated from C. wenyujin so far. Sesquiterpenoids are the major constituents and are crucial chemotaxonomic markers. Modern pharmacological studies and clinical trials have demonstrated that the extracts or active compounds from C. wenyujin have anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and hepatoprotective properties.

CONCLUSIONS

Until now, significant progress has been witnessed in phytochemistry and pharmacology of C. wenyujin. Some traditional uses of C. wenyujin have been supported by modern pharmacological studies. However, the establishment of quality control standards and additional clinical studies are warranted.

Short-term Cudrania tricuspidata fruit vinegar administration attenuates obesity in high-fat diet-fed mice by improving fat accumulation and metabolic parameters

Previous studies have suggested that vinegar intake can help to reduce body fat and hyperglycemia. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity efficacy of vinegar fermented using Cudrania tricuspidata fruits (CTFV) and its main phenolic constituents and to analyze its molecular mechanism and changes in obesity-related metabolizing enzymatic activities. We found that HFD significantly caused hepatic steatosis; increases in body fats, feed efficiency, liver mass, lipids, insulin, oxidative parameters, cardiovascular-associated risk indices, lipase and α-amylase activities, whereas CTFV efficaciously attenuated HFD-induced oxidant stress, fat accumulation, obesity-related enzymatic activity, and the activation or reduction of obesity-related molecular reactions via improving metabolic parameters including phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, phosphorylated phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B, phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein, and fatty acid synthase; and decreases in adiponectin receptor 1, leptin receptor, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, subsequently ameliorating HFD-induced obesity. Therefore, CTFV might provide a functional food resource or nutraceutical product for reducing body fat accumulation.

Hepatoprotective effect of total flavonoids of Mallotus apelta (Lour.) Muell.Arg. leaf against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rats via modulation of TGF-β1/Smad and NF-κB signaling pathways

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The Mallotus apelta (Lour.) Muell.Arg. is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used for anti-inflammatory, hemostasis and chronic hepatitis.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to explore the antifibrotic effect of total flavonoids of Mallotus apelta leaf (TFM) and its potential mechanism.

METHODS

Hepatic fibrosis was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in rats. The CCl₄-induced rats received intragastric administration of colchicine (0.2 mg/kg per day), TFM (25, 50, 100 mg/kg per day) and the equal vehicle was given to normal rats. Pathological evaluation in hepatic tissue were examined by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. And the levels of serum biochemical parameters were detected by automatic biochemical analysis. Meanwhile, the collagen deposition in liver was observed by staining with Masson's trichrome. Collagenic parameters and inflammatory factors were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Additionally, corresponding assay kit was used to estimate the antioxidant enzyme and lipid peroxidation. In order to explore the potential mechanism of anti-fibrotic effects in TFM, the expressions of liver fibrosis related gene and protein were analyzed by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot.

RESULTS

The CCl₄-induced hepatic fibrosis were inhibited dose-dependently in rats by TFM. The results showed that the key hallmarks of liver injury including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin (ALB) and total protein (TP) in the serum were reversed in CCl₄-induced hepatic fibrosis rats which were treated by TFM. Furthermore, TFM significantly alleviates collagen accumulation and reduces the contents of hydroxyproline (Hyp), Type III precollagen (PC-III), collagen I (Col I), hyaluronic acid (HA) and laminin (LN). RT-PCR and Western blot results showed that TFM markedly inhibits liver fibrosis hallmark factor α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expressions in CCl₄-induced hepatic fibrosis rats. Moreover, TFM alleviated the oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in rats induced by CCl₄. TFM also attenuated the pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) via inhibiting nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation. Meanwhile, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad signaling pathway was inhibited by TFM treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

TFM can alleviate CCl₄-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats, which potential mechanism may be due to its ability of reducing ECM accumulation, improving antioxidant and regulating TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathways and NF-κB-dependent inflammatory response.

Metabolomics combined with network pharmacology exploration reveals the modulatory properties of Astragali Radix extract in the treatment of liver fibrosis

Background

Astragali Radix (AR) is widely-used for improving liver fibrosis, but, the mechanism of action has not been systematically explained. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of AR intervention in liver fibrosis based on comprehensive metabolomics combined with network pharmacology approach.

Materials and methods

UPLC–Q-TOF/MS based metabolomics technique was used to explore the specific metabolites and possible pathways of AR affecting the pathological process of liver fibrosis. Network pharmacology analysis was introduced to explore the key targets of AR regarding the mechanisms on liver fibrosis.

Results

AR significantly reduced the levels of ALT, AST and AKP in serum, and improved pathological characteristics. Metabolomics analysis showed that the therapeutic effect of AR was mainly related to the regulation of nine metabolites, including sphingosine, 6-keto-prostaglandin F1a, LysoPC (O-18:0), 3-dehydrosphinganine, 5,6-epoxy-8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid, leukotriene C4, taurochenodesoxycholic acid, LysoPC (18:1 (9Z)) and 2-acetyl-1-alkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. Pathway analysis indicated that the treatment of AR on liver fibrosis was related to arachidonic acid metabolism, ether lipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism and primary bile acid biosynthesis. Validation of the key targets by network pharmacology analysis of potential metabolic markers showed that AR significantly down-regulated the expression of CYP1B1 and up-regulated the expression of CYP1A2 and PCYT1A.

Conclusion

Metabolomics combined with network pharmacology was used for the first time to clarify that the treatment of AR on liver fibrosis, which is related to the regulation of arachidonic acid metabolism and ether lipid metabolism by modulating the expression of CYP1A2, CYP1B1 and PCYT1A. And the integrated approach can provide new strategies and ideas for the study of molecular mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicines in the treatment of liver fibrosis.