Hepatoprotective effect of esculetin on ethanol-induced liver injury in human HepG2 cells and C57BL/6J mice

Exploring the therapeutic potential of silymarin-based herbal remedy (prebiotic) and probiotic blend in a mouse model of NAFLD: Insights into gut microbiota modulation and liver health

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a significant consequence of metabolic dysfunction, often associated with changes in the intestinal microbiota. Prebiotics and probiotics have shown promise in NAFLD management. This study evaluated a silymarin-based herbal remedy with piperine and fulvic acid, alongside a probiotic blend of Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Using a NAFLD mouse model induced by a high-fat and high-fructose diet, we assessed biochemical parameters, liver function, glucose levels, and conducted histological analysis. Stool samples underwent 16S rRNA metagenomic analysis to explore changes in microbiota composition. Mice on the high-fat diet exhibited elevated lipids, liver enzymes, and glucose, with reduced high-density lipoprotein levels (with p value < 0.001). Treatment, particularly with F3 (silymarin-piperine-fulvic acid herbal remedy and probiotic blend), significantly reduced hepatic fat accumulation and improved gut microbiota composition. This study highlights the potential of silymarin-based therapy combined with probiotics in attenuating NAFLD progression.

Subcritical water extraction of polysaccharides from Gastrodiae Rhizoma: optimization, characterization and in vitro hepatoprotective activity

Subcritical water extraction (SWE) is an efficient and eco-friendly technology that rapidly extracts valuable compounds from natural materials. In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized to determine the optimal extraction conditions for Gastrodiae Rhizoma using SWE (GRP-S). The optimum conditions were found to be 161 °C extraction temperature, 41 min extraction time, and a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1.55 mg/mL. Under these optimal conditions, the experimental yield of GRP-S was 66.32% ± 0.10% (n = 3), demonstrating a significant increase compared to hot water reflux extraction (HWE) in the extraction yield of polysaccharides. Characterization studies employing SEM, FT-IR, and HPAEC-PAD confirmed the differences between GRP-S and GRP-H (GRP obtained by HWE). Furthermore, both GRP-S and GRP-H exhibited a significant ability to protect HepG2 cells from ethanol-induced damage, with GRP-S showcasing a superior effect. The widespread adoption of SWE technology can lead to high GRP content in extracts and promote the green and sustainable development of natural products extraction processes.

Protective effects of esculetin against doxorubicin-induced toxicity correlated with oxidative stress in rat liver: In vivo and in silico studies

Doxorubicin (DOX) is widely used in cancer treatment but the dose-related toxicity of DOX on organs including the liver limit its use. Therefore, there is great interest in combining DOX with natural compounds with antioxidant properties to reduce toxicity and increase drug efficacy. Esculetin is a natural coumarin derivative with biological properties encompassing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. In light of these properties, this study was meticulously crafted to investigate the potential of esculetin in preventing doxorubicin (DOX)-induced hepatotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were divided into a total of six groups: control group, DOX group (administered DOX at a cumulative dose of 5 mg/kg intraperitoneally every other day for 2 weeks), E50 group (administered 50 mg/kg of esculetin intraperitoneally every day), E100 group (administered 100 mg/kg of esculetin intraperitoneally every day) and combined groups (DOX + E50 and DOX + E100) in which esculetin was administered together with DOX. The treatments, both with DOX alone and in combination with E50, manifested a reduction in catalase (CAT mRNA) levels in comparison to the control group. Notably, the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), CAT, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) witnessed significant decreases in the liver of rats treated with DOX. Moreover, DOX treatment induced a statistically significant elevation in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, coupled with a concurrent decrease in glutathione (GSH) levels. Additionally, molecular docking studies were conducted. However, further studies are needed to confirm the hepatoprotective properties of esculetin and to precisely elucidate its mechanisms of action.

Protective Effects and Mechanisms of Esculetin against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress, Apoptosis, and Pyroptosis in Human Hepatoma HepG2 Cells

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Esculetin is a natural coumarin compound with good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, whether esculetin can protect HepG2 cells through inhibiting H2O2-induced apoptosis and pyroptosis is still ambiguous. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of esculetin against oxidative stress-induced cell damage in HepG2 cells. The results of this study demonstrate that pretreatment with esculetin could significantly improve the decrease in cell viability induced by H2O2 and reduce intracellular ROS levels. Esculetin not only apparently reduced the apoptotic rates and prevented MMP loss, but also markedly decreased cleaved-Caspase-3, cleaved-PARP, pro-apoptotic protein (Bax), and MMP-related protein (Cyt-c) expression, and increased anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2) expression in H2O2-induced HepG2 cells. Meanwhile, esculetin also remarkably reduced the level of LDH and decreased the expression of the pyroptosis-related proteins NLRP3, cleaved-Caspase-1, Il-1β, and GSDMD-N. Furthermore, esculetin pretreatment evidently downregulated the protein expression of p-JNK, p-c-Fos, and p-c-Jun. Additionally, anisomycin, a specific activator of JNK, blocked the protection of esculetin against H2O2-induced HepG2 cells apoptosis and pyroptosis. In conclusion, esculetin can protect HepG2 cells against H2O2-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis, and pyroptosis via inhibiting the JNK signaling pathway. These findings indicate that esculetin has the potential to be used as an antioxidant that improves oxidative stress-related diseases.

Esculetin unveiled: Decoding its anti-tumor potential through molecular mechanisms-A comprehensive review

BACKGROUND

The growing complexity of cancer has made it a significant concern in the medical community. Although cancer research has advanced, it is still challenging to create new effective medications due to the limitations and side effects of existing treatment strategies. These are enforcing the development of some alternative drugs from natural compounds with fewer drawbacks and side effects.

AIM

Therefore, this review aims to provide up-to-date, crucial, and all-encompassing data on esculetin's anticancer activity, including all relevant molecular and cellular processes based on in vivo and in vitro investigations.

RESULTS

According to the literature review, esculetin is available in nature and is effective against 16 different types of cancer. The general mechanism shown by esculetin is modulating signaling cascades and its related pathways, like cell proliferation, cell growth, autophagy, apoptosis, necrosis, inflammation, angiogenesis, metastasis, invasion, and DNA damage. Nanoformulation of esculetin improves this natural product's efficacy by improving water solubility. Esculetin's synergistic effects with both natural substances and conventional treatments have been shown, and this method aids in reversing resistance mechanisms by modulating resistance-related proteins. In addition, it has fewer side effects on humans than other phytochemicals and standard drugs with some good pharmacokinetic features.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, until standard chemotherapeutics are available in pharmaceutical markets, esculetin should be used as a therapeutic drug against various cancer types.

Protective effects of esculetin against ovary ischemia-reperfusion injury model in rats

AIMS

Ovarian ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a phenomenon that necessitates urgent intervention, which occurs as a result of ovarian torsion, and it is frequently seen in young women. A large amount of free radical and oxidative damage as a result of I/R plays a role in the cause of the incident. Antioxidant agents are thought to be beneficial in preventing this damage, and the potential protective effects of esculetin, which had not been tested previously, were investigated in this study.

STUDY DESIGN

The rats in the study were divided into five groups at random: control, sham, esculetin, I/R, and treatment. Oxidative stress parameters, proinflammatory cytokines, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2)/nuclear factor-kβ (NF-κβ) pathway, and histopathological analyses were evaluated at the end of the study.

KEY FINDINGS

After I/R, malondialdehyde levels, proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β levels and NF-κβ expressions were increased, Nrf-2 expression and glutathione level decreased and the histopathologic picture deteriorated. However, as a result of the esculetin treatment, ameliorative effects in the aforementioned parameters were determined, and it was ensured that they returned to normal levels.

CONCLUSION

According to these findings, esculetin has protective effects on I/R damage by lowering lipid peroxidation and having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our results proved the protective effect of esculetin against ovarian IR injury in rats and this may be attributed to Nrf-2/NF-κβ axis which showed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, esculetin can be used in the future for preventive effects to ovarian IR injury.

First cocrystal of esculetin: simultaneously optimized in vitro/vivo properties and antioxidant effect

Esculetin (ELT) is one of the best-known and simplest coumarins with powerful natural antioxidant effects but insoluble and difficult to absorb. In order to overcome the problems, cocrystal engineering was first applied to ELT in this paper. Nicotinamide (NAM) was selected as the coformer for its excellent water solubility and potential synergistic antioxidant effect with ELT. The structure of the ELT-NAM cocrystal was successfully prepared and characterized by IR, SCXRD, PXRD, and DSC-TG. Furthermore, the in vitro/vivo properties and antioxidant effects of the cocrystal were adequately studied. The results highlight that the ELT obtained tremendous improvements in water solubility and bioavailability after cocrystal formation. Meanwhile, the synergistic enhancement of ELT with NAM in antioxidant effect was demonstrated by the DPPH assay. Ultimately, the simultaneously optimized in vitro/vivo properties and antioxidant activity of the cocrystal created an improved practical effect of hepatoprotective in rat experiments. The investigation is significant for developing coumarin drugs represented by ELT.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of esculetin derivatives as potential anti-HBV agents

Previous in vivo and in vitro studies revealed that esculetin (Fig. 1) has anti-hepatitis B virus (anti-HBV) activity as well as a protective effect on liver damage caused by duck hepatitis B virus. We designed and synthesized a series of esculetin derivatives, introduced side chains containing various amino groups into site 7 of the parent structure, and synthesized C-4 and C-8 substituted derivatives with the goal of investigating their anti-HBV activities. In vitro anti-HBV activity was performed against HepG2.2.15 cells by using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay(ELISA) kit and cytotoxicity was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay with lamivudine as the positive control. The results demonstrated that several compounds showed moderate anti-HBV activity, while the introduction of morpholine groups could significantly inhibit the expression of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and the introduction of the 2-methylimidazole group could significantly inhibit the expression of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Among all tested compounds, compound 4a demonstrated the best anti-HBeAg activity (IC₅₀ = 15.8 ± 4.2 μM), while compound 6d demonstrated the best anti-HBsAg activity (IC₅₀ = 21.4 ± 2.8 μM). Compounds 6b and 6c showed moderate anti-HBV activity and HBsAg inhibition. Compounds 4b showed moderate anti-HBV activity and an inhibitory effect on HBeAg. In addition, compounds 4a, 4c, 4d, 6b, 6c and 6d showed improved metabolic stability. This study provides useful guidance for the discovery of anti-HBV drugs, which merits further investigation.

Therapeutic Potential of Phenolic Compounds in Medicinal Plants-Natural Health Products for Human Health

Phenolic compounds and flavonoids are potential substitutes for bioactive agents in pharmaceutical and medicinal sections to promote human health and prevent and cure different diseases. The most common flavonoids found in nature are anthocyanins, flavones, flavanones, flavonols, flavanonols, isoflavones, and other sub-classes. The impacts of plant flavonoids and other phenolics on human health promoting and diseases curing and preventing are antioxidant effects, antibacterial impacts, cardioprotective effects, anticancer impacts, immune system promoting, anti-inflammatory effects, and skin protective effects from UV radiation. This work aims to provide an overview of phenolic compounds and flavonoids as potential and important sources of pharmaceutical and medical application according to recently published studies, as well as some interesting directions for future research. The keyword searches for flavonoids, phenolics, isoflavones, tannins, coumarins, lignans, quinones, xanthones, curcuminoids, stilbenes, cucurmin, phenylethanoids, and secoiridoids medicinal plant were performed by using Web of Science, Scopus, Google scholar, and PubMed. Phenolic acids contain a carboxylic acid group in addition to the basic phenolic structure and are mainly divided into hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids. Hydroxybenzoic acids are based on a C6-C1 skeleton and are often found bound to small organic acids, glycosyl moieties, or cell structural components. Common hydroxybenzoic acids include gallic, syringic, protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, gentistic, and salicylic acids. Hydroxycinnamic acids are based on a C6-C3 skeleton and are also often bound to other molecules such as quinic acid and glucose. The main hydroxycinnamic acids are caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, and sinapic acids.

Artabotrys odoratissimus Bark Extract Restores Ethanol Induced Redox Imbalance and Toxicity in Hepatocytes and In Vivo Model

Alcohol-induced oxidative stress is a key player in the development of liver diseases, and herbal alternatives are important means of ameliorating the hepatotoxic effects. The study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective potentiality of Artabotrys odoratissimus, an important medicinal shrub from the family Annonaceae. The phenolic compounds from bark ethanol extract (BEE) were detected using RP-HPLC. The in vitro hepatoprotective activity against ethanol-induced damage was studied in HepG2 cells with cell viability assays, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, double staining assay and western blotting. The in vivo mice model was used to evaluate the alcohol-induced stress with liver function enzymes, lipid profile and histopathology. All the thirteen phenolic compounds detected with HPLC were docked onto protein targets such as aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NO). The RP-HPLC detected the presence of various phenolics including rutin, chlorogenic acid and catechin, amongst others. Co-administration of BEE with ethanol alleviated cell death, ROS and MMP in HepG2 cells compared to the negative control. The extract also modulated the MAP kinase/caspase-3 pathway, thereby showing protective effects in HepG2 cells. Also, pre-treatment for 14 days with the extract in the mice model before a single toxic dose (5 g/kg body weight) reduced the liver injury by bringing the levels of liver function enzymes, lipid profile and bilirubin to near normal. In silico analysis revealed that rutin showed the best binding affinity with all the target proteins in the study. These results provide evidence that BEE possesses significant hepatoprotective effects against ethanol-induced oxidative stress in hepatic cells and in vivo models, which is further validated with in silico analysis.

Probiotic-fermented Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi alleviates alcoholic liver injury by enhancing antioxidant defense and modulating gut microbiota

BACKGROUND

Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi (PL) has been used in China to detoxify alcohol and protect the liver for millennia, though its mechanism of liver protection has not been elucidated. However, fermentation is considered to be one of the effective ways to enhance the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective mechanism of probiotic-fermented PL (FPL). Sprague Dawley rats were administered with FPL followed by gavage of alcohol for seven consecutive days; following that, liver injury levels were evaluated in rats.

RESULTS

FPL ameliorated lipid accumulation and inflammation levels in rats. Meanwhile, the levels of ethanol dehydrogenase, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, and cytochrome P4502E1 were elevated by FPL treatment. It was observed that the levels of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase were elevated, and the expression of nuclear transcriptional factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 genes and proteins were increased by FPL treatment, demonstrating that the Nrf2-mediated signal pathway was activated. Furthermore, FPL restored the composition of the gut microbiota with an increase in the abundances of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus and a decrease in the abundances of Bacteroidota and Akkermansia. Additionally, a strong correlation was found between the gut microbiota and the antioxidant parameters.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that FPL possesses an excellent protective effect in alcoholic liver injury. Our findings are beneficial to the development of hepatoprotective nutraceuticals for alcoholics. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Potential of Phenolics-Enriched Fraction of Anogeissus acuminata Leaf against Alcohol-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

Anogeissus acuminata is used to treat wounds, diarrhoea, dysentery, and skin ailments. However, its hepatoprotective effect against ethanol-induced liver damage is yet to be reported. The phenolic-enriched ethyl acetate fraction of Anogeissus acuminata (AAE) was evaluated for hepatoprotective activity against ethanol-induced liver toxicity in rats. The intoxicated animals were treated with a phenolic-rich fraction of Anogeissus acuminata (AAE) (100 and 200 mg/kg) and silymarin (100 mg/kg). The antioxidant activity of AAE was analysed. Biochemical markers (ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, and TBL) for liver injury in ethanol-administered animals resulted in higher levels of key serum biochemical injury markers, as evidenced by increased levels of ALT (127.24 ± 3.95), AST (189.54 ± 7.56), ALP (263.88 ± 12.96), GGT (91.65 ± 3.96), and TBL (2.85 ± 0.12) compared to Group I ALT (38.67 ± 3.84), AST (64.45 ± 5.97), GGT (38.67 ± 3.84), and TBL (0.53 ± 064) (p < 0.05). AAE administration decreased serum biochemical liver injury markers as manifested in Group III animals’ ALT (79.56 ± 5.16), AST (151.76 ± 6.16), ALP (184.67 ± 10.12), GGT (68.24 ± 4.05), TBL (1.66 ± 0.082) (p < 0.05), and Group IV ALT (55.54 ± 4.35), AST (78.79 ± 4.88), ALP (81.96 ± 9.43), GGT (47.32 ± 2.95), TBL (0.74 ± 0.075) (p < 0.05). Group IV exhibited the most significant reduction in serum biochemical markers as compared to Group III (p < 0.05) and close to silymarin-treated Group V ALT (44.42 ± 3.15), AST (74.45 ± 5.75), ALP (67.32 ± 9.14), GGT (42.43 ± 2.54), TBL (0.634 ± 0.077). Gene expression indices and histoarchitecture were evaluated to demonstrate the potential of AAE. The bioactive fraction of Anogeissus acuminata was rich in phenolics and flavonoid content. GC−MS analysis identified gallic acid, palmitic acid, cis-10-heptadecenoic acid, 9-octadecenoic acid, epigallocatechin, 2,5-dihydroxyacetophenone, and catechin. Oral administration of AAE (100 and 200 mg/kg) lowered the elevated levels of the biochemical markers and interleukin, and enhanced the level of enzymatic antioxidant. It also downregulated the expression level of proapoptotic genes and upregulated the expression level of the antiapoptotic gene along with improved liver histopathology.

Esculetin: A review of its pharmacology and pharmacokinetics

Esculetin is a natural dihydroxy coumarin; it is mainly extracted from twig skin and the trunk bark of the Chinese herbal medicine Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance. Emerging evidence suggests that esculetin has a wide range of pharmacological activities. Based on its fundamental properties, including antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antiapoptotic, anticancer, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, and cardiovascular protective activities, as well as antibacterial activity, among others, esculetin is expected to be a therapeutic drug for specific disease indications, such as cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and other diseases. The oral bioavailability of esculetin was shown by studies to be low. The extensive glucuronidation was described to be the main metabolic pathway of esculetin and C-7 phenolic hydroxyl to be its major metabolic site. With the development of scientific research technology, the pharmacological effects of esculetin are identified and its potential for the treatment of diseases is demonstrated. The underlining mechanisms of action and biological activities as well as the pharmacokinetic data of the analyzed compound reported so far are highlighted in this review with the aim of becoming a proven, and applicable insight and reference for further studies on the utilization of esculetin.

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) Protects Hepatocytes against Alcohol-Induced Damage through Nrf2 Activation

This study aimed at evaluating the cytoprotective activity of jujube water extract (JWE) against alcohol-induced oxidative stress via the activation of the Nrf2 pathway in HepG2 cells. JWE had various phenolic compounds, and the vanillic acid content was the highest in the extract. To determine the cytoprotective effect of JWE against alcohol-induced damage, hepatocytes were treated with JWE and 3% ethanol. JWE (100 μg/mL) markedly increased cell viability by approximately 100% in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, JWE attenuated the production of malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species, aspartate, and alanine aminotransferase and the depletion of glutathione. Moreover, JWE enhanced the expression of antioxidant defense enzymes including heme oxygenase-1, NADPH quinone oxidoreductase 1, and γ-glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic against alcohol-induced oxidative damage in hepatocytes via the activation of Nrf2. Taken together, JWE possesses the protective effect against alcohol-induced oxidative injury in hepatocytes through the upregulation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Therefore, jujube fruit might have the potential to improve alcohol-related liver problems.

Hepatoprotection of pine nut polysaccharide via NRF2/ARE/MKP1/JNK signaling pathways against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in mice

Previously, we obtained a purified polysaccharide (PNP40c-1) from Pinus koraiensis pine nut and reported its protective effect on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver injury in vitro. The object of this study is to investigate its hepatoprotective activity in vivo and elucidate the mechanism underlying the hepatoprotection. PNP40c-1 effectively prevented the accumulation of serum liver injury biomarkers including alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phpsphatase and total bilirubin stimulated by CCl₄. The pathological changes in PNP40c-1-treated mice livers were also markedly ameliorated. Results showed that PNP40c-1 suppressed the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation, upregulated Nrf2/ARE pathway and enhanced the antioxidant capacity of hepatocytes. Furthermore, the reaction between Nrf2 and ARE promoted the generation of Mkp1, which inhibited the activation of JNK induced by CCl₄, and suppressed hepatocytes apoptosis by regulating the protein expression of Bax, cleaved-Caspase-3 and Bcl2, exerting hepatoprotective activity. Taken together, upregulation of Nrf2/ARE pathway and suppression of JNK activation via Nrf2/ARE/Mkp1/JNK signaling pathways are the main mechanisms underlying the hepatoprotective effect of PNP40c-1 against CCl₄-induced mice liver injury. These results indicated that PNP40c-1 has potential to serve as a hepatoprotective agent against chemical induced hepatotoxicity.

Hepatoprotection mechanism against alcohol-induced liver injury in vivo and structural characterization of Pinus koraiensis pine nut polysaccharide

Previous studies have shown that Pinus koraiensis pine nut polysaccharide PNP80b-2 exerts widely protective effects against liver injury induced by chemical pollutants, alcohol and drugs. By comparison, PNP80b-2 exhibits the strongest hepatoprotection against alcohol-induced liver injury (AILI). Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the hepatoprotection mechanisms of PNP80b-2 against AILI in vivo. The results indicated that PNP80b-2 alleviated oxidative stress induced by alcohol through enhancing antioxidant capacity of hepatocytes via NRF2/HO-1 pathway. PNP80b-2 also effectively suppressed the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects via NF-κB signaling pathway in AILI. In addition, PNP80b-2 protected mice from severe DNA damage induced by alcohol through regulating the expression of Hipk2, P53, Hp1γ and Wip1. Taken together all the results, PNP80b-2 exerts hepatoprotective activity against AILI in vivo through enhancing antioxidant capacity, suppressing inflammation response and promoting DNA damage repair in livers. Furthermore, the structural features of PNP80b-2 were also characterized. PNP80b-2, with molecular weight of 23.0 kDa, was found to be composed of 1,2-linked Galf, 1,2-linked Rhap, 1,4-linked Xylp, 1,6-linked Glcp, 1,4-linked GlcpA, 1,2,6-linked Galp, 1,4,6-linked Glcp, 1,2,3,4-linked Arap, 1-linked Galp and Leu- and Ile-linked O-glycopeptide bonds, based on the GC-MS and NMR results.

The Protective Effect of the Polysaccharide Precursor, D-Isofloridoside, from Laurencia undulata on Alcohol-Induced Hepatotoxicity in HepG2 Cells

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) threatens human health, so it is imperative that we find ways to prevent or treat it. In recent years, the study of polysaccharides has shown that they have different kinds of bioactivities. Among them are many biological effects that have been attributed to polysaccharide precursors. D-Isofloridoside (DIF) is one of the polysaccharide precursors from the marine red alga Laurencia undulata. This study evaluated the effect of DIF on alcohol-induced oxidative stress in human hepatoma cells (HepG2). As a result, DIF attenuated alcohol-induced cytotoxicity, reduced the amount of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and effectively reduced alcohol-induced DNA damage in HepG2 cells. In addition, a western blot showed that, after DIF treatment, the expression levels of glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and B-cell lymphoma-2 (bcl-2) increased, while the expression levels of γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), BCL2-associated X (bax), cleaved caspase-3, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase) signal transduction proteins reduced. This showed that DIF may protect cells by reducing the amount of intracellular ROS and inhibiting intracellular oxidative stress and apoptotic processes. Finally, molecular docking demonstrated that DIF can bind to SOD, GGT, B-cell lymphoma-2, and bax proteins. These results indicated that DIF can protect HepG2 cells from alcohol-induced oxidative stress damage, making it an effective potential ingredient in functional foods.

Antiliver Fibrosis Screening of Active Ingredients from Apium graveolens L. Seeds via GC-TOF-MS and UHPLC-MS/MS

Although several studies have been performed on Apium graveolens L.(celery) seeds, their antiliver fibrosis effects remain to be unexplored. Firstly, we detected the effects of celery seeds extracted with different concentrations of aqueous ethanol on the proliferation of HSC-LX2 cells. Then, we detected the effects of fractions of the optimal effect extract on the proliferation and apoptosis of HSC-LX2 cells. Finally, the compounds of petroleum ether (PP), ethyl acetate (PE), n-butyl alcohol (PB), and water fractions (PW) of the optimal effect extract were determined by GC-TOF-MS and UHPLC-MS/MS, to confirm the potentially antifibrotic compounds combined with pharmacodynamic experiment of monomer compounds in vitro. The results revealed that 60% ethanol extract of celery seeds (60-extract) exhibited remarkable inhibition effect on the proliferation of HSC-LX2 cells compared with 95% ethanol and aqueous extract. Besides, it validated that the inhibition rates of PP, PE, PB, and PW on the proliferation of HSC-LX2 cells were 75.14%, 73.52%, 54.09%, and 43.36%, and their percentage of apoptotic cells were 37.5%, 4.3%, 0.7%, and 0.1% at high doses, respectively. Additionally, it was manifested that apigenin, aesculetin, and butylphthalide have major contribution to the overall compounds of celery seeds, and the inhibition effects on the cell proliferation clearly elevated with increase in their contents. In essence, apigenin, aesculetin, and butylphthalide may hopefully become the natural products of antiliver fibrosis, which laid a foundation for the subsequent development of celery seeds as antiliver fibrosis drugs.

Synergistic action of Erigeron annuus L. Pers and Borago officinalis L. enhances anti-obesity activity in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity

Prior studies show that Borago officinalis L. (BO) can suppress lipid accumulation in 3 T3-L1 adipocytes. Similarly, we recently revealed that Erigeron annuus L. Pers (EA) can significantly diminish both lipid accumulation and adipocyte differentiation in 3 T3-L1 cells through an AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase)-dependent mechanism. Accordingly, the objective of this present study was to evaluate the anti-obesity activity of EA and/or BO using an animal model of obesity. Obesity was induced in C57BL/6 J mice by feeding a high-fat diet (HFD; 60 kcal% fat) for 3 weeks, followed by administration of EA and/or BO (100-200 mg/kg body weight) or positive control Garcinia Cambogia (GC) (100 mg/kg body weight) for an additional 8 weeks. The anti-obesity effect of EA and/or BO was assessed by measuring body weight, adipocyte size, lipid accumulation, and expression level of genes associated with adipogenesis. We found the administration of EA and/or BO significantly attenuated increases in body weight gain, adipocyte size, and lipid accumulation in obese mice induced by HFD. In addition, western blot analysis revealed that HFD-mediated increases in expressions levels of adipogenic genes such as PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP-1c were diminished by EA and/or BO. Moreover, EA and/or BO significantly stimulated the production of adiponectin, a unique adipokine known to stimulate the breakdown of fat/lipids, whereas adiponectin levels were reduced in mice fed a HFD. Notably, a combination of EA and BO was more effective at modulating such parameters than EA or BO alone. Taken together, these results demonstrate that an anti-obesity effect of EA and/or BO can reduce adipocyte hypertrophy and modulate the expression of adipogenesis-associated genes.

Anti-Hepatitis B Virus Activity of Esculetin from Microsorium fortunei In Vitro and In Vivo

Coumarins are widely present in a variety of plants and have a variety of pharmacological activities. In this study, we isolated a coumarin compound from Microsorium fortunei (Moore) Ching; the compound was identified as esculetin by hydrogen and carbon spectroscopy. Its anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity was investigated in vitro and in vivo. In the human hepatocellular liver carcinoma 2.2.15 cell line (HepG2.2.15) transfected with HBV, esculetin effecting inhibited the expression of the HBV antigens and HBV DNA in vitro. Esculetin inhibited the expression of Hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein in a dose-dependent manner. In the ducklings infected with duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV), the levels of DHBV DNA, duck hepatitis B surface antigen (DHBsAg), duck hepatitis B e-antigen (DHBeAg), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) decreased significantly after esculetin treatment. Summing up the above, the results suggest that esculetin efficiently inhibits HBV replication both in vitro and in vivo, which provides an opportunity for further development of esculetin as antiviral drug.

Relative protective activities of quercetin, quercetin-3-glucoside, and rutin in alcohol-induced liver injury

Alcoholic liver diseases has been known to be one of the major health risks worldwide. The purpose of this study was aimed to demonstrate the relative protective effect of quercetin, quercetin-3-glucoside, and rutin on alcohol-induced damage in hepatocytes. The hepatotoxicity, antioxidant enzymatic defense mechanisms, and pro-inflammatory mediators were examined for evaluating the hepatoprotective effects of quercetins in hepG2 cells. The results revealed that quercetin and its glucoside derivatives significantly prevented ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity by decreasing hepatic aminotransferase activities and inflammatory response in HepG2 cells. Moreover, the quercetins significantly induced detoxifying enzymes via the nuclear accumulation of the NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and induction of antioxidant response element (ARE) gene. These hepatoprotective activities were observed to be more effective with quercetin aglycone than quercetin glucosides. From the above findings, the present study imply that quercetin aglycone may have a vital function in the therapeutic and preventive strategies of alcoholic liver diseases. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Quercetin is commonly present in fruits and vegetables as aglycone and glucoside-derived forms. In the present study, quercetin and its glycosides was shown to alleviate oxidative stress, glutathione depletion, and pro-inflammatory cytokines in alcohol-induced HepG2 cells via the Nrf2/ARE antioxidant pathway. Moreover, quercetin aglycone had better protective effects against alcohol-induced liver damage in vitro, compared to its glycosylated form. The present study proposed that quercetin aglycone may be a more efficient hepatoprotective agent than its glucoside derivatives such as rutin in the amelioration of alcohol-induced liver diseases.

Hepatoprotection of Mentha aquatica L., Lavandula dentata L. and Leonurus cardiaca L

The phenolic composition of hydroethanolic extracts of Mentha aquatica L., Lavandula dentata L. and Leonurus cardiaca L., obtained from plants grown under organic cultivation, was determined and their hepatoprotective effects were investigated in vitro. L. cardiaca extract was rich in phenylethenoid glycosides, especially lavandolifolioside (254 ± 36 μg/mg), whereas rosmarinic acid and eriodictyol-O-rutinoside were the major phenolic compounds of L. dentata and M. aquatica extracts, accounting for 68 ± 7 μg/mg and 145 ± 22 μg/mg, respectively. These differential phenolic components presumably account for their dissimilar antioxidant properties. While L. cardiaca extract showed moderate biological effects, M. aquatica extract displayed high antioxidant activity in chemical models, and that of L. dentata was effective in counteracting potassium dichromate-induced ROS generation in human hepatocarcinoma cells. Moreover, M. aquatica extract (50 μg/mL) and its mixture (50%/50%) with L. dentata extract displayed an effective cytoprotective effect.