Mechanisms involved in the antinociception of petroleum ether fraction from the EtOH extract of Chrysanthemum indicum in mice

Therapeutic overview of sudachitin

Citrus fruits are extensively cultivated and eaten both raw and in refined forms. Citrus fruit peels are highly concentrated in polyphenolic substances. This makes them useful resources. Polymethoxyflavones (PMFs), found in citrus peels, belong to a specific subclass of flavonoids where most or all hydroxyl groups are methylated. PMFs have been documented to possess chemopreventive actions, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atherosclerosis properties, as well as neuroprotective effects. Sudachitin, a PMF, is primarily found in Citrus sudachi. Japan's Tokushima prefecture is home to this famous fruit. In recent years, there has been a growing interest among researchers in exploring the potential health benefits of sudachitin, spurred by its presence in traditional diets and its association with various positive health outcomes. Studies conducted over the past decade have revealed promising effects of sudachitin in multiple health conditions, including cancer, skin disorders, inflammatory conditions, diabetes, obesity, and neurodegenerative disorders. Although these promising results exist, there is still a need for thorough preclinical and clinical research to confirm sudachitin's effectiveness in treating chronic conditions. This review seeks to summarize animal and cell studies exploring sudachitin's pharmacological properties and the potential molecular pathways underlying its therapeutic effects. Through this, we aim to clarify the clinical potential of sudachitin across various disorders, paving the way for future research and the development of sudachitin-based therapies.

RMD86, a thiophene derivative, promotes antinociceptive and antipyretic activities in mice

Treatment of pain and fever remains an important challenge for modern medicine. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the pharmacological options most often used, but their frequent use exposes the patient to serious side effects and dangerous drug interactions. In this context, thiophene derivatives are promising therapeutic alternatives. In this study, we evaluated the in vivo and in silico antinociceptive and antipyretic properties of RMD86, a thiophene derivative. At 100 mg/kg, RMD86 induced no significant changes in the motor coordination of mice in the Rotarod test. At 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg RMD86 significantly reduced the number of abdominal contortions induced by acetic acid (antinociceptive activity) in mice when compared to the control. In the formalin test, for the first phase, there was a reduction in licking times at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg. In the second phase, reduction occurred at all doses. In the hot plate test, RMD86 (at 100 mg/kg) increased latency time in the first 30 min. For antipyretic activity, RMD86, when compared to the reference drug acetaminophen (250 mg/kg), significantly reduced pyrexia at 30, 60, and 120 min, at dosages of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg. Molecular docking studies revealed that RMD86 presents a greater number of interactions and lower energy values than both the co-crystallized ligand and the reference drug (meloxicam) against COX-1 and COX-2 isoenzymes. The results give evidence of the analgesic and antipyretic properties like NSAIDs suggesting its potential for pain therapy.

Chrysanthemum indicum L. ethanol extract reduces high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice

The present study was undertaken to investigate the mechanism behind the anti-obesity effect of the 50% ethanol extract of Chrysanthemum indicum L. flowers (CIEE) in a mouse model of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. Male C57BL/6J mice (six mice in each group) were administered CIEE (8, 40 and 200 mg/kg) for 6 weeks while being fed with a HFD. Garcinia cambogia (GC) was used as the positive control and was administered in the same manner as CIEE. Results demonstrated that oral administration of CIEE significantly reduced body weight, epididymal white adipose tissue (EWAT), liver weight and serum levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride (P<0.05). In addition, CIEE reduced serum leptin and increased adiponectin levels. CIEE significantly downregulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α and fatty acid synthase expression levels in EWAT, and upregulated the protein expression of PPARα in liver tissue of HFD-fed obese mice (P<0.05). These results suggested that Chrysanthemum indicum L. flowers may be a potentially effective therapeutic agent for obesity and its associated complications.

Chrysanthemum indicum Inhibits Adipogenesis and Activates the AMPK Pathway in High-Fat-Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Chrysanthemum indicum (CI) is widely distributed in China and many parts of the tropical world, and has been reported to have antibacterial, antiviral, anti-oxidant and immunomodulatory effects, but no information is available on its effects on high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. This was undertaken to investigate the mechanism responsible for the effect of ethyl acetate fraction of CI (CIEA) on adipogenesis, in vitro and in vivo models of obesity. In the in vitro study, differentiating 3T3-L1 cells were treated with media to initiate differentiation (MDI) in the presence or absence of CIEA with different concentrations, and in the in vivo study, C57BL/6 mice were fed with HFD and administered CIEA daily for six weeks. Garcinia cambogia (GC) was used as the positive control, and was administered in the same manner as CIEA. Results showed CIEA reduced HFD-induced body weight gain, epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), and liver weight. In addition, CIEA significantly decreased serum lipid profiles, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) and increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) levels. Furthermore, CIEA also reduced leptin levels and increased adiponectin levels in serum, and significantly decreased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor [Formula: see text] (PPAR[Formula: see text]) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EPBs) levels, but increased PPAR[Formula: see text] level and the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in eWATs and in the liver tissues of HFD fed obese mice. Taken together, these results indicate CIEA might be beneficial for preventing obesity.

Phytochemical Content, Health Benefits, and Toxicology of Common Edible Flowers: A Review (2000-2015)

Edible flowers contain numerous phytochemicals which contribute to their health benefits, and consumption of edible flowers has increased significantly in recent years. While many researchers have been conducted, no literature review of the health benefits of common edible flowers and their phytochemicals has been compiled. This review aimed to present the findings of research conducted from 2000 to 2015 on the species, traditional application, phytochemicals, health benefits, and the toxicology of common edible flowers. It was found in 15 species of common edible flowers that four flavonols, three flavones, four flavanols, three anthocyanins, three phenolic acids and their derivatives were common phytochemicals and they contributed to the health benefits such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-obesity, and neuroprotective effect. Toxicology studies have been conducted to evaluate the safety of common edible flowers and provide information on their dosages and usages.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra revealing the inter-cultivar differences for Chinese ornamental Flos Chrysanthemum: a new promising method for plant taxonomy

BACKGROUND

Flos Chrysanthemi, as a part of Chinese culture for a long history, is valuable for not only environmental decoration but also the medicine and food additive. Due to their voluminously various breeds and extensive distributions worldwide, it is burdensome to make recognition and classification among numerous cultivars with conventional methods which still rest on the level of morphologic observation and description. As a fingerprint spectrum for parsing molecular information, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) could be a suitable candidate technique to characterize and distinguish the inter-cultivar differences at molecular level.

RESULTS

SERS spectra were used to analyze the inter-cultivar differences among 26 cultivars of Chinese ornamental Flos Chrysanthemum. The characteristic peaks distribution patterns were abstracted from SERS spectra and varied from cultivars to cultivars. For the bands distributed in the pattern map, the similarities in general showed their commonality while in the finer scales, the deviations and especially the particular bands owned by few cultivars revealed their individualities. Since the Raman peaks could characterize specific chemical components, those diversity of patterns could indicate the inter-cultivar differences at the chemical level in fact.

CONCLUSION

In this paper, SERS technique is feasible for distinguishing the inter-cultivar differences among Flos Chrysanthemum. The Raman spectral library was built with SERS characteristic peak distribution patterns. A new method was proposed for Flos Chrysanthemum recognition and taxonomy.

Investigation of the interactions between Chrysanthemum morifolium flowers extract and intestinal bacteria from human and rat

Flos Chrysanthemi, dried flower of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat, has drawn much attention recently owing to its potential beneficial health effects for human. Flos Chrysanthemi products are usually taken orally and metabolized by intestinal microflora. However, there has been no investigation of the comprehensive metabolic profile of the Flos Chrysanthemi extract by intestinal flora owing to its chemical complexity and the limitations of analytical methods. In this paper, a rapid, sensitive and automated analysis method, ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry including MS^E technology and automated data processing Metabolynx™ software, was developed and successfully applied for the biotransformation and metabolic profile of flavonoids in the Flos Chrysanthemi extract by intestinal flora from human and rat. A total of 32 metabolites were detected and tentatively identified in human and rat intestinal bacterial samples. These metabolites indicated that hydrolysis, hydroxylation, acetylation, methylation, hydrogenation and deoxygenation were the major conversion pathways of flavonoids in the Flos Chrysanthemi extract in vitro. Furthermore, the effects of the Flos Chrysanthemi extract on the growth of different intestinal bacteria were detected using an Emax precision microplate reader. Certain pathogenic bacteria such as Enterobacter, Enterococcus, Clostridium and Bacteroides were significantly inhibited by Flos Chrysanthemi, while commensal probiotics such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were moderately promoted. Our observation provided further evidence for the importance of intestinal bacteria in the metabolism and potential activity of the Flos Chrysanthemi extract. The results will also be helpful for the further pharmacokinetic study of Flos Chrysanthemi and to unravel how it works in vivo.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of extracts from herb of Chelidonium majus L

The aim of the study was to evaluate analgesic activity ("hot plate" test), anti-inflammatory activity (carrageenan-induced paw edema) and locomotor activity in rats under the influence of three fractions of Chelidonium majus herb extract: full water extract (FWE), protein enriched fraction (PEF), and non-protein fraction (NPF). Effects of the fractions on the level of chosen cytokines and their mRNA levels were also assessed using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration as a proinflammatory cue. All fractions and diclofenac did not affect the locomotor activity of rats in comparison with the control group. FWE and PEF three hours after administration showed statistically significant analgesic activities comparable to morphine (p < 0.05). A slight reduction in rat paw edema was observed after three (comparable with diclofenac) and six hours in the NPF group. FWE revealed a statistically significant pro-inflammatory effect after three hours in comparison with the control group. Peripheral IL-1 and IL-4 cytokine concentrations were reduced under FWE and NPF, PEF fractions. The combination of FWE, PEF and NPF together with LPS showed only the effects of LPS. We suggest that protein enriched fraction (PEF) produced centrally mediated (morphine-like) analgesic action, whereas the anti-inflammatory potential was shown only after LPS-induced inflammation. The precise mechanisms involved in the production of anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory responses of studied fractions are not completely understood, but they may be caused rather by the presence of protein more than alkaloids-enriched fraction. This fraction of the extract could be used as an alternative therapy for the prevention of inflammatory-related diseases in the future, but further studies are needed.

Antinociceptive activity of Rhoifoline A from the ethanol extract of Zanthoxylum nitidum in mice

AIM OF THE STUDY

Antinociceptive activity of Rhoifoline A (RA), a benzophenanthridine alkaloid obtained from the ethanol extract of Zanthoxylum nitidum, was evaluated in mice using chemical and thermal models of nociception.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RA was evaluated on anti-nociceptive activity in mice using chemical and thermal models of nociception.

RESULTS

RA administered intraperitoneally at doses of 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg exhibited significant inhibitions on chemical nociception induced by intraperitoneal acetic acid and subplantar formalin, and on thermal nociception in the tail-flick test and the hot plate test. RA neither significantly impaired motor coordination in the rotarod test nor did spontaneous locomotion in the open-field test. RA did not enhance the pentobarbital sodium induced sleep time. These results indicated that the observed antinociceptive activity of RA was unrelated to sedation or motor abnormality. Core body temperature measurement showed that RA did not affect temperature during a 2-hour period. Furthermore, RA-induced antinociception in the hot plate test was insensitive to naloxone or glibenclamide but significantly antagonized by L-NAME, methylene blue and nimodipine.

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, it is reasonable that the analgesic mechanism of RA possibly involved the NO-cGMP signaling pathway and L-type Ca(2+) channels.

Antinociceptive and Antioxidant Activities of Phytol In Vivo and In Vitro Models

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antinociceptive effects of phytol using chemical and thermal models of nociception in mice and to assess its antioxidant effects in vitro. Phytol was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) to mice at doses of 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg. In the acetic acid-induced writhing test, phytol significantly reduced the number of contortions compared to the control group (P < 0.001). In the formalin test, phytol reduced significantly the amount of time spent in paw licking in both phases (the neurogenic and inflammatory phases), this effect being more pronounced in the second phase (P < 0.001). Phytol also provoked a significant increase in latency in the hot plate test. These antinociceptive effects did not impaire the motor performance, as shown in the rotarod test. Phytol demonstrated a strong antioxidant effect in vitro in its capacity to remove hydroxyl radicals and nitric oxide as well as to prevent the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Taken as a whole, these results show the pronounced antinociceptive effects of phytol in the nociception models used, both through its central and peripheral actions, but also its antioxidant properties demonstrated in the in vitro methods used.

Endogenous opiates and behavior: 2011

This paper is the thirty-fourth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2011 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (Section 2), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (Section 3); stress and social status (Section 4); tolerance and dependence (Section 5); learning and memory (Section 6); eating and drinking (Section 7); alcohol and drugs of abuse (Section 8); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (Section 9); mental illness and mood (Section 10); seizures and neurologic disorders (Section 11); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (Section 12); general activity and locomotion (Section 13); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (Section 14); cardiovascular responses (Section 15); respiration (Section 16); and immunological responses (Section 17).