Protective effects of Artemisia campestris extract against gastric acid reflux-induced esophageal mucosa injuries

Ethanolic extract of Artemisia campestris subsp. glutinosa (Besser) Batt. inhibits HIV-1 replication in vitro through the activity of terpenes and flavonoids on viral entry and NF-κB pathway

ETHNO-PHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The genus Artemisia spp. is well known for its anti-infectious properties and its high content in anti-infectious compounds, like the well-known sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua L.). Another Artemisia species, Artemisia campestris subsp. glutinosa (Besser) Batt., field wormwood, has been traditionally used as medicinal plant in the Mediterranean region.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-HIV activity of field wormwood, to identify the compounds responsible for this activity and their structure and mechanism of action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Antiviral activity of isolated compounds and extracts was evaluated in HIV-1 infections of lymphoblastoid cells. We also evaluated the mechanism of action of isolated compounds. Viral entry was studied comparing the inhibitory effect of isolated compounds on wild type HIV-1 and VSV pseudotyped HIV-1. To assess the viral transcriptional effect, plasmids encoding luciferase reporter genes under the control of the whole genome of HIV-1 or NF-κB or Sp1 transcription factors were transfected in the presence of the compounds under evaluation. Finally, antioxidant activity was assessed by quantitation of reduced and total glutathione in treated cell cultures.

RESULTS

Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Artemisia campestris subsp. glutinosa (Besser) Batt. subsp. glutinosa displayed anti-HIV activity in vitro, although ethanolic extract was more powerful (IC₅₀ 14.62 μg/mL). Bio-guided ethanolic extract fractionation leads to the isolation and characterization of two terpenes, damsin and canrenone, and four flavonoids, 6, 2', 4'-trimethoxyflavone, acerosin, cardamonin and xanthomicrol. All the isolated compounds inhibited HIV-1 replication in vitro with IC₅₀ values between the middle nanomolar and the low micromolar range. Their anti-HIV mechanism of action is due to the bloking of viral entry and/or transcription inhibition, without correlation with the antioxidant activity, through interference with the cellular transcription factors NF-κB and Sp1, which are targets that are not currently reached by antiretroviral therapy.

CONCLUSION

We describe here the anti-HIV activity of field wormwood, Artemisia campestris subsp. glutinosa (Besser) Batt., and the isolation and study of the mechanism of action of two terpenes and four flavonoids, responsible, at least in part, for its activity, through the inhibition of two different cellular targets affecting the HIV replication cycle. The activity of these compounds in cellular targets could explain why plant extracts can be used in the treatment of different diseases. Besides, the presence of several compounds with dual and different mechanisms of action could prove useful in the treatment of HIV-1 infection, since it could aid to overcome drug resistances and simplify drug therapy. This work is a further step in understanding the anti-infectious activity of wormwood species and their use in treating infectious diseases.

Ameliorative effects of Magnolia sieboldii buds hexane extract on experimental reflux esophagitis

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a disease that stomach contents continually refluxing into esophagus causes symptoms and/or complications. The study was working to find natural plant extracts with good effects and small side effects to treat reflux esophagitis (RE). The anti-inflammatory effects of hexane extract of Magnolia sieboldii (MsHE) were conducted on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The ameliorative effects of MsHE on esophageal damage in rats induced by gastric acid reflux was explored in vivo. The results showed that MsHE decreased the production of nitric oxide (NO) and expression levels of iNOS, COX-2 and TNF-α on LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and MsHE treatment ameliorated the rats' esophageal tissue damage induced by gastric acid and inhibited the increase of inflammatory mediators and pro-inflammatory cytokines by regulating NF-κB signaling pathway. In addition, MsHE protected the function of barrier of epithelial cells against inflammatory conditions through increasing the expression of tight junctions. Furthermore, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis was used for determine the active ingredients contained in MsHE. The results show that MsHE can alleviate experimental rat RE by regulating NF-κB signaling pathway. In summary, MsHE may be used as a source material of drug candidate for the treatment of RE.

Artemisia campestris L.: review on taxonomical aspects, cytogeography, biological activities and bioactive compounds

Artemisia campestris L. (Asteraceae) is a polymorphic species that consists of many subspecies and varieties. It is known for its medicinal, pharmacological, and culinary properties. This review is undertaken with the aim to highlight some aspects of this plant, specifically the taxonomy, the cytogeography, the phytochemistry with an emphasis on the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the main bioactive compounds of A. campestris L. in addition to its biological properties and the food control properties. The bibliographic data compiled in this review allowed the revision of 146 papers, by using different databases and scientific engines, such as Scopus, ScienceDirect, Pubmed, and google scholar. The taxonomic analysis has embedded A. campestris L. in the tribe Anthemideae, and the genus Artemisia L. Also many subtaxa have been identified, and a subspecific classification of this species has been established on the basis of its botanical characters. The cytogenetic findings evidenced that A.campestris L. is prevailed by the chromosome number x = 9, with a polyploidization degree ranging from diploidy to hexaploidy according to the geographical distribution of the plant populations, while the genome size seems to be proportional to the ploidy level, suggesting an adaptive trait of the cytotypes to new environments. This plant is rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and terpenic compounds, which substantiate the bioactivities attributed to its extracts and essential oil. Hence, the SAR of the main bioactive compounds of A. campestris L., mainly the prominent flavonoids, phenolic acids, and terpenes revealed a tight link between specific chemical entities of the bioactive compound and the respective biological activity. Many biological activities were approached in this review, mainly the antioxidant, antivenom, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, anti-leishmaniasis, antinociceptive, wound healing, and analgesic activities in addition to the hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, neuroprotective, and gastroprotective actions. Finally, the food preservative ability of the extracts and essential oil obtained from A.campestris L. have been fully discussed. The present review contributes to the literature, by bringing more clarifications about the different aspects of A.campestris L., like taxonomy, cytogeography and biological interests of this species. The SAR approach of some constituents that occur in A.campestris L., gives a solid support that can be used to explore the bioactivity of components isolated from this species, while the preservative properties of this plant can be usefully exploited for the agrifood sector.

Dichloromethane Extracts of Geranium Koreanum Kom. Alleviates Esophagus Damage in Acute Reflux Esophagitis-Induced Rats by Anti-Inflammatory Activities

Reflux esophagitis (RE) is a gastrointestinal disease caused by the reflux of gastric acid and stomach contents, and it leads to esophageal damage. Therefore, it is necessary to study the improvement of esophageal damage on a RE-induced model. The present study was accomplished to demonstrate the protective effects of a dichloromethane fraction of Geranium koreanum (DGK) plant on esophageal damage in an acute RE rat model. First, we examined the potential of anti-inflammatory effects of various fractions measured by cell cytotoxicity, morphological changes and nitric oxide (NO) production on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced Raw 264.7 macrophage cells. Then, to evaluate the protective effects on RE, rats were partitioned into the following groups: normal control, RE-induced control and RE rats pre-treated with DGK 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight. The esophageal mucosal ulcer ratio was measured by the Image J program and histological changes were examined using a hematoxylin and eosin staining of the esophageal mucosa. The expression of pro-inflammatory proteins, cytokines and tight junction proteins involved in the esophageal mucosal damage were investigated using Western blotting and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit with esophagus tissue. DGK chemical profile and phenolic contents were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results showed that DGK exhibited anti-inflammatory effects against LPS-stimulated cells by significantly inhibiting NO production. Additionally, the results in vivo showed that improvement effects of DGK on esophageal mucosal damage. The expression of inflammatory proteins involved in nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways and tight junction protein (claudin-4 and -5) were significantly decreased in esophageal mucosa. We found the potential of DGK as source of replacement therapy products for inflammatory and RE disease.