Tribulus terrestris L. extract ameliorates atherosclerosis by inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in ApoE-/- mice and A7r5 cells via suppression of Akt/MEK/ERK signaling

Qiangxinyin formula protects against isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy

Heart failure is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease and characterized by cardiac hypertrophy, inflammation and fibrosis. The traditional Chinese medicine formula Qiangxinyin (QXY) is effective for the treatment of heart failure while the underlying mechanism is not clear. This study aims to identify the active ingredients of QXY and explore its mechanisms protecting against cardiac hypertrophy. We found that QXY significantly protected against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction in zebrafish. Eight compounds, including benzoylmesaconine (BMA), atractylenolide I (ATL I), icariin (ICA), quercitrin (QUE), psoralen (PRN), kaempferol (KMP), ferulic acid (FA) and protocatechuic acid (PCA) were identified from QXY. PRN, KMP and icaritin (ICT), an active pharmaceutical ingredient of ICA, prevented ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction in zebrafish. In H9c2 cardiomyocyte treated with ISO, QXY significantly blocked the calcium influx, reduced intracellular lipid peroxidative product MDA, stimulated ATP production and increased mitochondrial membrane potential. QXY also inhibited ISO-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and cytoskeleton reorganization. Mechanistically, QXY enhanced the phosphorylation of Smad family member 2 (SMAD2) and myosin phosphatase target subunit-1 (MYPT1), and suppressed the phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC). In conclusion, PRN, KMP and ICA are the main active ingredients of QXY that protect against ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction largely via the blockage of calcium influx and inhibition of mitochondrial dysfunction as well as cytoskeleton reorganization.

Saponins as therapeutic candidates for atherosclerosis

Drug development for atherosclerosis, the underlying pathological state of ischemic cardiovascular diseases, has posed a longstanding challenge. Saponins, classified as steroid or triterpenoid glycosides, have shown promising therapeutic potential in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Through an exhaustive examination of scientific literature spanning from May 2013 to May 2023, we identified 82 references evaluating 37 types of saponins in terms of their prospective impacts on atherosclerosis. These studies suggest that saponins have the potential to ameliorate atherosclerosis by regulating lipid metabolism, inhibiting inflammation, suppressing apoptosis, reducing oxidative stress, and modulating smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, as well as regulating gut microbiota, autophagy, endothelial senescence, and angiogenesis. Notably, ginsenosides exhibit significant potential and manifest essential pharmacological attributes, including lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-oxidative stress effects. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the pharmacological attributes of saponins in atherosclerosis, with particular emphasis on their role in the regulation of lipid metabolism regulation and anti-inflammatory effects. Thus, saponins may warrant further investigation as a potential therapy for atherosclerosis. However, due to various reasons such as low oral bioavailability, the clinical application of saponins in the treatment of atherosclerosis still needs further exploration.

Purification, structural characteristics and anti-atherosclerosis activity of a novel green tea polysaccharide

A new homogeneous polysaccharide (TPS3A) was isolated and purified from Tianzhu Xianyue fried green tea by DEAE-52 cellulose and Sephacryl S-500 column chromatography. Structural characterization indicated that TPS3A mainly consisted of arabinose, galactose, galacturonic acid and rhamnose in a molar ratio of 5.84: 4.15: 2.06: 1, with an average molecular weight of 1.596 × 104 kDa. The structure of TPS3A was characterized as a repeating unit consisting of 1,3-Galp, 1,4-Galp, 1,3,6-Galp, 1,3-Araf, 1,5-Araf, 1,2,4-Rhap and 1-GalpA, with two branches on the C6 of 1,3,6-Galp and C2 of 1,2,4-Rhap, respectively. To investigate the preventive effects of TPS3A on atherosclerosis, TPS3A was administered orally to ApoE-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice. Results revealed that TPS3A intervention could effectively delay the atherosclerotic plaque progression, modulate dyslipidemia, and reduce the transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from contractile phenotype to synthetic phenotype by activating the expression of contractile marker alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and inhibiting the expression of synthetic marker osteopontin (OPN) in high-fat diet-induced ApoE-/- mice. Our findings suggested that TPS3A markedly alleviated atherosclerosis by regulating dyslipidemia and phenotypic transition of VSMCs, and might be used as a novel functional ingredient to promote cardiovascular health.

Network pharmacology-based approach uncovers the pharmacodynamic components and mechanism of Fructus Tribuli for improving endothelial dysfunction in hypertension

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Fructus Tribuli (FT), a traditional Chinese medicinal herbal, has been used for the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases for many years and affects vascular endothelial dysfunction (ED) in patients with hypertension.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to demonstrate the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanisms of FT for the treatment of ED.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study used ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadruple-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) to analyze and identify the chemical components of FT. The active components in blood were determined after the oral administration of FT by comparative analysis to blank plasma. Then, based on the active components in vivo, network pharmacology was performed to predict the potential targets of FT in treating ED. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were also performed, and component-target-pathway networks were constructed. Interactions between the major active components and main targets were verified by molecular docking. Moreover, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were divided into the normal, model, valsartan, low-dose FT, medium-dose FT, and high-dose FT experimental groups. In pharmacodynamic verification studies, treatment effects on blood pressure, serum markers (nitric oxide [NO], endothelin-1 [ET-1,], and angiotensin Ⅱ [Ang Ⅱ)]) of ED, and endothelial morphology of the thoracic aorta were evaluated and compared between groups. Finally, the PI3K/AKT/eNOS pathway was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot of the thoracic aorta of rats in each group to detect the mRNA expression of PI3K, AKT, and eNOS and the protein expression of PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, eNOS, and p-eNOS.

RESULTS

A total of 51 chemical components were identified in FT, and 49 active components were identified in rat plasma. Thirteen major active components, 22 main targets, and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were screened by network pharmacology. The animal experiment results showed that FT reduced systolic blood pressure and ET-1 and Ang Ⅱ levels and increased NO levels in SHRs to varying degrees. The therapeutic effects were positively correlated with the oral dose of FT. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining confirmed that FT could alleviate the pathological damage of the vascular endothelium. qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis confirmed that up-regulated expression of the PI3K/AKT/eNOS signaling pathway could improve ED.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the material basis of FT was comprehensively identified, and the protective effect on ED was confirmed. FT had a treatment effect on ED through multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathways. It also played a role by up-regulating the PI3K/AKT/eNOS signaling pathway.

Proanthocyanidins may be potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of carotid atherosclerosis: A review

Atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease is one of the major causes of death in China, with associated serious risk of disability and burden on society and families. Therefore, the development of active and effective therapeutic drugs for this disease is of great significance. Proanthocyanidins are a class of naturally occurring active substances, rich in hydroxyl groups and from a wide range of sources. Studies have suggested that they have a strong potential for anti-atherosclerosis activity. In this paper, we review published evidence regarding anti-atherosclerotic effects of proanthocyanidins in different atherosclerotic research models.

Effects of frog skin peptide temporin-1CEa and its analogs on ox-LDL induced macrophage-derived foam cells

Purpose: Atherosclerosis is one of the most important pathological foundations of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases with high morbidity and mortality. Studies have shown that macrophages play important roles in lipid accumulation in the vascular wall and thrombosis formation in atherosclerotic plaques. This study aimed to explore the effect of frog skin antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) temporin-1CEa and its analogs on ox-LDL induced macrophage-derived foam cells.

Methods: CCK-8, ORO staining, and intracellular cholesterol measurements were used to study cellular activity, lipid droplet formation and cholesterol levels, respectively. ELISA, real-time quantitative PCR, Western blotting and flow cytometry analysis were used to study the expression of inflammatory factors, mRNA and proteins associated with ox-LDL uptake and cholesterol efflux in macrophage-derived foam cells, respectively. Furthermore, the effects of AMPs on inflammation signaling pathways were studied.

Results: Frog skin AMPs could significantly increase the cell viability of the ox-LDL-induced foaming macrophages and decrease the formation of intracellular lipid droplets and the levels of total cholesterol and cholesterol ester (CE). Frog skin AMPs inhibited foaming formation by reducing the protein expression of CD36, which regulates ox-LDL uptake but had no effect on the expression of efflux proteins ATP binding cassette subfamily A/G member 1 (ABCA1/ABCG1). Then, decreased mRNA expression of NF-κB and protein expression of p-NF-κB p65, p-IκB, p-JNK, p-ERK, p-p38 and the release of TNF-α and IL-6 occurred after exposure to the three frog skin AMPs.

Conclusion: Frog skin peptide temporin-1CEa and its analogs can improve the ox-LDL induced formation of macrophage-derived foam cells, in addition, inhibit inflammatory cytokine release through inhibiting the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, thereby inhibiting inflammatory responses in atherosclerosis.

Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Phenotypic Switching in Cardiovascular Diseases

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), the major cell type in the arterial vessel wall, have a contractile phenotype that maintains the normal vessel structure and function under physiological conditions. In response to stress or vascular injury, contractile VSMCs can switch to a less differentiated state (synthetic phenotype) to acquire the proliferative, migratory, and synthetic capabilities for tissue reparation. Imbalances in VSMCs phenotypic switching can result in a variety of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, in-stent restenosis, aortic aneurysms, and vascular calcification. It is very important to identify the molecular mechanisms regulating VSMCs phenotypic switching to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases with high morbidity and mortality. However, the key molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways participating in VSMCs phenotypic switching have still not been fully elucidated despite long-term efforts by cardiovascular researchers. In this review, we provide an updated summary of the recent studies and systematic knowledge of VSMCs phenotypic switching in atherosclerosis, in-stent restenosis, aortic aneurysms, and vascular calcification, which may help guide future research and provide novel insights into the prevention and treatment of related diseases.