Hydroxysafflor yellow A, a natural compound from Carthamus tinctorius L with good effect of alleviating atherosclerosis

Deciphering the molecular mechanism of Bu Yang Huan Wu Decoction in interference with diabetic pulmonary fibrosis via regulating oxidative stress and lipid metabolism disorder

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus type 2 and pulmonary fibrosis have been found to be closely related in clinical practice. Diabetic pulmonary fibrosis (DPF) is a complication of diabetes mellitus, but its treatment has yet to be thoroughly investigated. Bu Yang Huan Wu Decoction (BYHWD) is a well-known traditional Chinese prescription that has shown great efficacy in treating pulmonary fibrosis with hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects.

METHODS

The active ingredients of BYHWD and the corresponding targets were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systematic Pharmacology Database (TCMSP) and SymMap2. Disease-related targets were obtained from the GeneCard, OMIM and CTD databases. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment were carried out using the DAVID database. AutoDock Vina software was employed to perform molecular docking. Molecular dynamics simulations of proteinligand complexes were conducted by Gromacs. Animal experiments were further performed to validate the effects of BYHWD on the selected core targets, markers of oxidative stress, serum lipids, blood glucose and pulmonary fibrosis.

RESULTS

A total of 84 active ingredients and 830 target genes were screened in BYHWD, among which 56 target genes intersected with DPF-related targets. Network pharmacological analysis revealed that the active ingredients can regulate target genes such as IL-6, TNF-α, VEGFA and CASP3, mainly through AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations suggested that IL6-astragaloside IV, IL6-baicalein, TNFα-astragaloside IV, and TNFα-baicalein docking complexes could bind stably. Animal experiments showed that BYHWD could reduce the expression of core targets such as VEGFA, CASP3, IL-6 and TNF-α. In addition, BYHWD could reduce blood glucose, lipid, and MDA levels in DPF while increasing the activities of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px. BYHWD attenuated the expression of HYP and collagen I, mitigating pathological damage and collagen deposition within lung tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

BYHWD modulates lipid metabolism disorders and oxidative stress by targeting the core targets of IL6, TNF-α, VEGFA and CASP3 through the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, making it a potential therapy for DPF.

Therapeutic potential of natural flavonoids in pulmonary arterial hypertension: A review

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a fatal disease caused by pulmonary vascular remodeling, with a high incidence and mortality. At present, many clinical drugs for treating PAH mainly exert effects by relaxing the pulmonary artery, with limited therapeutic effects, so the search for viable therapeutic agents continues uninterrupted. In recent years, natural flavonoids have shown promising potential in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. It is necessary to comprehensively elucidate the potential of natural flavonoids to combat PAH.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the potential of natural flavonoids to hinder or slow down the occurrence and development of PAH, and to identify promising drug discovery candidates.

METHODS

Literature was collected from PubMed, Science Direct, Web of science, CNKI databases and Google scholar. The search terms used included "pulmonary arterial hypertension", "pulmonary hypertension", "natural products", "natural flavonoids", "traditional chinese medicine", etc., and several combinations of these keywords.

RESULTS

The resources, structural characteristics, mechanisms, potential and prospect strategies of natural flavonoids for treating PAH were summarized. Natural flavonoids offer different solutions as possible treatments for PAH. These mechanisms may involve various pathways and molecular targets related to the pathogenesis of PAH, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, vascular remodeling, genetic, ion channels, cell proliferation and autophagy. In addition, prospect strategies of natural flavonoids for anti-PAH including structural modification and nanomaterial delivery systems have been explored. This review suggests that the potential of natural flavonoids as alternative therapeutic agents in the prevention and treatment of PAH holds promise for future research and clinical applications.

CONCLUSION

Despite displaying the enormous potential of flavonoids in PAH, some limitations need to be further explored. Firstly, using advanced drug discovery tools, including computer-aided design and high-throughput screening, to further investigate the safety, biological activity, and precise mechanism of action of flavonoids. Secondly, exploring the structural modifications of these compounds is expected to optimize their efficacy. Lastly, it is necessary to conduct well controlled clinical trials and a comprehensive evaluation of potential side effects to determine their effectiveness and safety.

Genetic diversity, clinical uses, and phytochemical and pharmacological properties of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.): an important medicinal plant

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), a member of the Asteraceae family, is widely used in traditional herbal medicine. This review summarized agronomic conditions, genetic diversity, clinical application, and phytochemicals and pharmacological properties of safflower. The genetic diversity of the plant is rich. Abundant in secondary metabolites like flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids, polysaccharides, fatty acids, polyacetylene, and other bioactive components, the medicinal plant is effective for treating cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and respiratory diseases. Especially, Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HYSA) has a variety of pharmacological effects. In terms of treatment and prevention of some space sickness in space travel, safflower could be a potential therapeutic agent. Further studies are still required to support the development of safflower in medicine. Our review indicates that safflower is an important medicinal plant and research prospects regarding safflower are very broad and worthy of further investigation.

The recent advance and prospect of natural source compounds for the treatment of heart failure

Heart failure is a continuously developing syndrome of cardiac insufficiency caused by diseases, which becomes a major disease endangering human health as well as one of the main causes of death in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The occurrence of heart failure is related to hemodynamic abnormalities, neuroendocrine hormones, myocardial damage, myocardial remodeling etc, lead to the clinical manifestations including dyspnea, fatigue and fluid retention with complex pathophysiological mechanisms. Currently available drugs such as cardiac glycoside, diuretic, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, vasodilator and β receptor blocker etc are widely used for the treatment of heart failure. In particular, natural products and related active ingredients have the characteristics of mild efficacy, low toxicity, multi-target comprehensive efficacy, and have obvious advantages in restoring cardiac function, reducing energy disorder and improving quality of life. In this review, we mainly focus on the recent advance including mechanisms and active ingredients of natural products for the treatment of heart failure, which will provide the inspiration for the development of more potent clinical drugs against heart failure.

Novel insight into the therapeutical potential of flavonoids from traditional Chinese medicine against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CIRI) is a major contributor to poor prognosis of ischemic stroke. Flavonoids are a broad family of plant polyphenols which are abundant in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and have beneficial effects on several diseases including ischemic stroke. Accumulating studies have indicated that flavonoids derived from herbal TCM are effective in alleviating CIRI after ischemic stroke in vitro or in vivo, and exhibit favourable therapeutical potential. Herein, we systematically review the classification, metabolic absorption, neuroprotective efficacy, and mechanisms of TCM flavonoids against CIRI. The literature suggest that flavonoids exert potential medicinal functions including suppressing excitotoxicity, Ca2+ overloading, oxidative stress, inflammation, thrombin's cellular toxicity, different types of programmed cell deaths, and protecting the blood-brain barrier, as well as promoting neurogenesis in the recovery stage following ischemic stroke. Furthermore, we identified certain matters that should be taken into account in future research, as well as proposed difficulties and opportunities in transforming TCM-derived flavonoids into medications or functional foods for the treatment or prevention of CIRI. Overall, in this review we aim to provide novel ideas for the identification of new prospective medication candidates for the therapeutic strategy against ischemic stroke.

Lipid regulation of protocatechualdehyde and hydroxysafflor yellow A via AMPK/SREBP2/PCSK9/LDLR signaling pathway in hyperlipidemic zebrafish

The consumption of a high-cholesterol diet is known to cause hyperlipidemia, which is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Protocatechualdehyde (PCA) and hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) are the active components of Salvia miltiorrhiza and safflower, respectively. However, their exact mechanism is still unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate its effects on lipid deposition and liver damage in hyperlipidemic zebrafish and its mechanism of anti-hyperlipidemia. The results showed that the use of PCA and HSYA alone and in combination can improve lipid deposition, slow behavior, abnormal blood flow and liver tissue damage, and the combined use is more effective. Further RT-qPCR results showed that PCA + HSYA can regulate the mRNA levels of PPAR-γ, SREBP2, SREBP1, HMGCR, PCSK9, mTOR, C/EBPα, LDLR, AMPK, HNF-1α and FoxO3a. The PCA + HSYA significantly improves lipid deposition and abnormal liver function in hyperlipidemic zebrafish larvae, which may be related to the AMPK/SREBP2/PCSK9/LDLR signaling pathway.

Safflower yellow for injection enhances anti-coagulation of warfarin in rats: implications in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics

This study investigated whether Safflower Yellow for injection (SYI) would affect the anticoagulation of warfarin in rats.Wistar male rats were divided into six groups randomly and administered with SYI (9 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection) in single-dose and steady-dose warfarin (0.2 mg/kg, oral gavage), respectively. The pharmacodynamic parameters of PT and APTT were measured by a coagulation analyser. R/S-warfarin concentration was measured by UHPLC-MS/MS, and pharmacokinetic parameters calculated using DAS 2.0 software.The single-dose study demonstrated that SYI, alone or co-administered with warfarin, could significantly increase PT, INR, and APTT values (p < 0.01). R-warfarin Cmax, AUC, and t1/2 values increased by 9.25% (p > 0.05), 25.96% (p < 0.01), and 26.17% (p < 0.01), respectively, whereas the CL/F value reduced by 22.22% (p < 0.01) in the presence of SYI. Meanwhile, S-warfarin Cmax, AUC, and t1/2 values increased by 37.41%, 32.11%, and 31.73% (all p < 0.01), respectively, whereas the CL/F value reduced by 33.33% (p < 0.01). The steady-dose study showed that PT, INR, APTT, and the concentrations of R/S-warfarin increased significantly when SYI was co-administered with warfarin (p < 0.01).SYI can enhance warfarin's anticoagulation intensity and decelerate its metabolism in rats.

Traditional Chinese medicines treat ischemic stroke and their main bioactive constituents and mechanisms

Ischemic stroke (IS) remains one of the leading causes of death and disability in humans. Unfortunately, none of the treatments effectively provide functional benefits to patients with IS, although many do so by targeting different aspects of the ischemic cascade response. The advantages of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in preventing and treating IS are obvious in terms of early treatment and global coordination. The efficacy of TCM and its bioactive constituents has been scientifically proven over the past decades. Based on clinical trials, this article provides a review of commonly used TCM patent medicines and herbal decoctions indicated for IS. In addition, this paper also reviews the mechanisms of bioactive constituents in TCM for the treatment of IS in recent years, both domestically and internationally. A comprehensive review of preclinical and clinical studies will hopefully provide new ideas to address the threat of IS.

Natural Substances vs. Approved Drugs in the Treatment of Main Cardiovascular Disorders-Is There a Breakthrough?

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of diseases with a very high rate of morbidity and mortality. The clinical presentation of CVDs can vary from asymptomatic to classic symptoms such as chest pain in patients with myocardial infarction. Current therapeutics for CVDs mainly target disease symptoms. The most common CVDs are coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, chronic heart failure, arterial hypertension, and valvular heart disease. In their treatment, conventional therapies and pharmacological therapies are used. However, the use of herbal medicines in the therapy of these diseases has also been reported in the literature, resulting in a need for critical evaluation of advances related to their use. Therefore, we carried out a narrative review of pharmacological and herbal therapeutic effects reported for these diseases. Data for this comprehensive review were obtained from electronic databases such as MedLine, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Conventional therapy requires an individual approach to the patients, as when patients do not respond well, this often causes allergic effects or various other unwanted effects. Nowadays, medicinal plants as therapeutics are frequently used in different parts of the world. Preclinical/clinical pharmacology studies have confirmed that some bioactive compounds may have beneficial therapeutic effects in some common CVDs. The natural products analyzed in this review are promising phytochemicals for adjuvant and complementary drug candidates in CVDs pharmacotherapy, and some of them have already been approved by the FDA. There are insufficient clinical studies to compare the effectiveness of natural products compared to approved therapeutics for the treatment of CVDs. Further long-term studies are needed to accelerate the potential of using natural products for these diseases. Despite this undoubted beneficence on CVDs, there are no strong breakthroughs supporting the implementation of natural products in clinical practice. Nevertheless, they are promising agents in the supplementation and co-therapy of CVDs.

Hepatoprotective effect of total flavonoids from Carthamus tinctorius L. leaves against carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic liver injury in mice

Carthamus tinctorius L. leaves, a waste product after Carthami flos production, are rich in flavonoids. Total flavonoids from C. tinctorius L. leaves (TFCTLL) exhibited the protective effect on acute liver injury in mice in previous studies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of TFCTLL on chronic liver injury (CLI) and investigate the underlying mechanism. The chemical components of TFCTLL were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS, and their migration into blood was evaluated. The protective effect of TFCTLL on CLI was evaluated by antioxidative and anti-inflammatory experiments in vitro, network pharmacology and a carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced CLI mouse model. We indentified 18 chemical components in the TFCTLL samples and 4 components in plasma. TFCTLL showed significant anti-inflammatory activity and antioxidant capacity in vitro and in vivo. TFCTLL administration prominently improved the liver function and structure, decreased the mRNA expression levels of TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, NF-κB p65, IRF3, AKT1, TRIF, PI3K, MyD88, IL-1β and TNF-α and inhibited the protein expression and nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in mice with CLI. The molecular docking results showed that components in plasma had high binding affinity for the targets TLR4, PI3K and AKT1. Therefore, TFCTLL has a protective effect against CCl4-induced CLI, and the underlying mechanisms may be related to antioxidation, anti-inflammation and modulation of the TLRs/NF-κB and PI3K/AKT pathways.

Network Analysis and Experimental Verification of the Mechanisms of Hydroxysafflor Yellow A in Ischemic Stroke Following Atherosclerosis

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is derived from Carthamus tinctorius L. (Honghua in Chinese) and is used to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. However, the mechanism by which HSYA treats ischemic stroke following atherosclerosis (ISFA) remains unclear. The targets and pathways of HSYA against ISFA were obtained using network analysis. A total of 3335 potential IFSA-related targets were predicted using the GenCards and Drugbank databases, and a total of 88 potential HSYA-related targets were predicted using the Swiss Target Prediction database. A total of 62 HSYA-related targets against IFSA were obtained. The network was composed of HSYA, 62 targets, and 20 pathways. The top 20 targets were constructed via the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that the targets were involved in signal transduction, protein phosphorylation, the cytoplasm, the plasma membrane, the cytosol, zinc ion binding, ATP binding, protein kinase binding/activity, and enzyme binding. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the pathways were associated with cancer, inflammatory mediator regulation of the transient receptor potential channels, and microRNA in cancer. Additionally, molecular docking indicated that HSYA mainly interacts with five targets, namely interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), E1A-binding protein p300 (EP300), protein kinase C alpha (PRKCA), and inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B kinase subunit beta (IKBKB). In animal experiments, HSYA administration ameliorated the infarct size, neurological deficit score, histopathological changes, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), and blood lipid level (total cholesterol and triglycerides). Immunochemistry and quantitative PCR showed that HSYA intervention downregulated the expression of STAT3, EP300, PRKCA, and IKBKB, and the enzyme-linked immunoassay showed reduced IL-1β levels. The findings of this study provide a reference for the development of anti-ISFA drugs.

Anti-atherosclerosis mechanisms associated with regulation of non-coding RNAs by active monomers of traditional Chinese medicine

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of numerous cardiovascular diseases with a high mortality rate. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), RNA molecules that do not encode proteins in human genome transcripts, are known to play crucial roles in various physiological and pathological processes. Recently, researches on the regulation of atherosclerosis by ncRNAs, mainly including microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs, have gradually become a hot topic. Traditional Chinese medicine has been proved to be effective in treating cardiovascular diseases in China for a long time, and its active monomers have been found to target a variety of atherosclerosis-related ncRNAs. These active monomers of traditional Chinese medicine hold great potential as drugs for the treatment of atherosclerosis. Here, we summarized current advancement of the molecular pathways by which ncRNAs regulate atherosclerosis and mainly highlighted the mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine monomers in regulating atherosclerosis through targeting ncRNAs.

Identification of bioactive compounds and potential mechanisms of scutellariae radix-coptidis rhizoma in the treatment of atherosclerosis by integrating network pharmacology and experimental validation

OBJECTIVE

This study aims at investigating the potential targets and functional mechanisms of Scutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma (QLYD) against atherosclerosis (AS) through network pharmacology, molecular docking, bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation.

METHODS

The compositions of QLYD were collected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and literature, where the main active components of QLYD and corresponding targets were identified. The potential therapeutic targets of AS were excavated using the OMIM database, DrugBank database, DisGeNET database, CTD database and GEO datasets. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of common targets was constructed and visualized by Cytoscape 3.7.2 software. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed to analyze the function of core targets in the PPI network. Molecular docking was carried out using AutoDockTools, AutoDock Vina, and PyMOL software to verify the correlation between the main components of QLYD and the core targets. Mouse AS model was established and the results of network pharmacology were verified by in vivo experiments.

RESULTS

Totally 49 active components and 225 corresponding targets of QLYD were obtained, where 68 common targets were identified by intersecting with AS-related targets. Five hub genes including IL6, VEGFA, AKT1, TNF, and IL1B were screened from the PPI network. GO functional analysis reported that these targets had associations mainly with cellular response to oxidative stress, regulation of inflammatory response, epithelial cell apoptotic process, and blood coagulation. KEGG pathway analysis demonstrated that these targets were correlated to AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, TNF signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and NF-kappa B signaling pathway. Results of molecular docking indicated good binding affinity of QLYD to FOS, AKT1, and TNF. Animal experiments showed that QLYD could inhibit inflammation, improve blood lipid levels and reduce plaque area in AS mice to prevent and treat AS.

CONCLUSION

QLYD may exert anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress effects through multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway to treat AS.

Chinese herbal formula, modified Xianfang Huoming Yin, alleviates the inflammatory proliferation of rat synoviocytes induced by IL-1β through regulating the migration and differentiation of T lymphocytes

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Xianfang Huoming Yin (XFH) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula, which has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying toxins, dispersing swellings, activating blood circulation, and relieving pain. It is usually applied to treat various autoimmune diseases, including Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

AIM OF THE STUDY

The migration of T lymphocytes plays an indispensable role in the pathogenesis of RA. Our previous studies demonstrated that modified Xianfang Huoming Yin (XFHM) could modulate the differentiation of T, B, and NK cells, and contribute to the restoration of immunologic balance. It also could downregulate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by regulating the activation of NF-κ B and JAK/STAT signaling pathways in the collagen-induced arthritis mouse model. In this study, we want to investigate whether XFHM has therapeutic effects on the inflammatory proliferation of rat fibroblast-like synovial cells (FLSs) by interfering with the migration of T lymphocytes in vitro experiments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

High performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/mass spectrometer system was used to identify the constituents of the XFHM formula. A co-culture system of rat fibroblast-like synovial cells (RSC-364 cells) and peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) was used as the cell model. IL-1β inhibitor (IL-1βRA) was used as a positive control medicine, and two concentrations (100 μg/mL and 250 μg/mL) of freeze-dried XFHM powder were used as intervention measure. The lymphocyte migration levels were analyzed by the Real-time xCELLigence analysis system after 24 h and 48 h of treatment. The percentage of CD3⁺CD4⁺ T cells and CD3⁺CD8⁺ T cells, and the apoptosis rate of FLSs were detected by flow cytometry. The morphology of RSC-364 cells was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The protein expression of key factors for T cell differentiation and NF-κ B signaling pathway-related proteins in RSC-364 cells were examined by western-blot analysis. The migration-related cytokines levels of P-selectin, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 in the supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Twenty-one different components in XFHM were identified. The migration CI index of T cells was significantly decreased in treatment with XFHM. XFHM also could significantly downregulate the levels r of CD3⁺CD4⁺T cells and CD3⁺CD8⁺T cells that migrated to the FLSs layer. Further study found that XFHM suppresses the production of P-selectin, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1. Meanwhile, it downregulated the protein levels of T-bet, ROR γ t, IKKα/β, TRAF2, and NF-κ B p50, upregulated the expression of GATA-3 and alleviated synovial cells inflammation proliferation, contributing to the FLSs apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

XFHM could attenuate the inflammation of synovium by inhibiting T lymphocyte cell migration, regulating differentiation of T cells through modulating the activation of the NF-κ B signaling pathway.

The safflower MBW complex regulates HYSA accumulation through degradation by the E3 ligase CtBB1

The regulatory mechanism of the MBW (MYB-bHLH-WD40) complex in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) remains unclear. In the present study, we show that the separate overexpression of the genes CtbHLH41, CtMYB63, and CtWD40-6 in Arabidopsis thaliana increased anthocyanin and procyanidin contents in the transgenic plants and partially rescued the trichome reduction phenotype of the corresponding bhlh41, myb63, and wd40-6 single mutants. Overexpression of CtbHLH41, CtMYB63, or CtWD40-6 in safflower significantly increased the content of the natural pigment hydroxysafflor yellow A (HYSA) and negatively regulated safflower petal size. Yeast-two-hybrid, functional, and genetic assays demonstrated that the safflower E3 ligase CtBB1 (BIG BROTHER 1) can ubiquitinate CtbHLH41, marking it for degradation through the 26S proteasome and negatively regulating flavonoid accumulation. CtMYB63/CtWD40-6 enhanced the transcriptional activity of CtbHLH41 on the CtDFR (dihydroflavonol 4-reductase) promoter. We propose that the MBW-CtBB1 regulatory module may play an important role in coordinating HYSA accumulation with other response mechanisms.

Complete Mitogenome and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Carthamus tinctorius L

Carthamus tinctorius L. 1753 (Asteraceae), also called safflower, is a cash crop with both edible and medical properties. We analyzed and reported the safflower mitogenome based on combined short and long reads obtained from Illumina and Pacbio platforms, respectively. This safflower mitogenome mainly contained two circular chromosomes, with a total length of 321,872 bp, and encoded 55 unique genes, including 34 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 3 rRNA genes, and 18 tRNA genes. The total length of repeat sequences greater than 30 bp was 24,953 bp, accounting for 7.75% of the whole mitogenome. Furthermore, we characterized the RNA editing sites of protein-coding genes located in the safflower mitogenome, and the total number of RNA editing sites was 504. Then, we revealed partial sequence transfer events between plastid and mitochondria, in which one plastid-derived gene (psaB) remained intact in the mitogenome. Despite extensive arrangement events among the three mitogenomes of C. tinctorius, Arctium lappa, and Saussurea costus, the constructed phylogenetic tree based on mitogenome PCGs showed that C. tinctorius has a closer relationship with three Cardueae species, A. lappa, A. tomentosum, and S. costus, which is similar to the phylogeny constructed from the PCGs of plastid genomes. This mitogenome not only enriches the genetic information of safflower but also will be useful in the phylogeny and evolution study of the Asteraceae.

Hydroxysafflor yellow A regulates lymphangiogenesis and inflammation via the inhibition of PI3K on regulating AKT/mTOR and NF-κB pathway in macrophages to reduce atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice

BACKGROUND

Macrophage-mediated inflammatory infiltration and pathological lymphangiogenesis around atherosclerotic plaques are newly highlighted treatment targets of atherosclerosis. Although the effect of Hydroxysafflor yellow A(HSYA) on atherosclerosis was clear, few studies focus on the regulation of HSYA on such mechanisms.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to uncover the key site of HSYA on improving atherosclerosis by regulating macrophage-induced inflammation and lymphangiogenesis.

STUDY DESIGN

This study was designed to explore the new mechanism of HSYA on alleviating atherosclerosis in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

We determined the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C(VEGF-C) in Raw264.7 cells and high-fat diet fed ApoE knockout (ApoE^-/-) mice. Raw264.7 cells were treated with HSYA under the stimulation of LPS and ox-LDL. HFD induced ApoE^-/- mice were given different concentrations of HSYA-saline solution by tail vein injection and ATV-saline suspension by gavage. C57/B6j mice fed with chow diet were used for the control group. H&E, oil red O and immunofluorescence staining analysis were used for visualizing the pathological changes. The biological impact of HSYA was evaluated by body weight, lipid metabolism, inflammation levels, and corresponding function indexes of kidney and liver. RT-qPCR and western blot methods were conducted to determine the expression of the inflammation and lymphangiogenesis factors. Molecular docking and microscale thermophoresis analysis were used to verify the combination of HSYA and PI3K.

RESULTS

In vivo, HSYA reduced the plaque formation, hepatic steatosis and inflammation-related lymphangiogenesis (IAL). It also changed the serum levels of inflammation (VEGF-C, TNF-α, IL-6, VCAM1, MCP1), lipid indexes (LDL, CHOL, TRIG) and relevant lymphangiogenesis (VEGF-C and LYVE-1) and inflammation (VCAM-1 and IL-6) signals in the aorta. In vitro, HSYA regulated Akt/mTOR and NF-κB activation by the inhibition of PI3K in macrophages.

CONCLUSION

HSYA affects inflammation and inflammation-associated lymphangiogenesis via suppressing PI3K to affect AKT/mTOR and NF-B pathway activation in macrophages, showing a comprehensive protective effect on atherosclerosis.

Natural flavonoids derived from herbal medicines are potential anti-atherogenic agents by inhibiting oxidative stress in endothelial cells

As the common pathological basis of various cardiovascular diseases, the morbidity and mortality of atherosclerosis (AS) have increased in recent years. Unfortunately, there are still many problems in the treatment of AS, and the prevention and treatment of the disease is not ideal. Up to now, the occurrence and development of AS can roughly include endothelial cell dysfunction, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, inflammation, foam cell production, and neoangiogenesis. Among them, endothelial dysfunction, as an early event of AS, plays a particularly important role in promoting the development of AS. In addition, oxidative stress occurs throughout the causes of endothelial dysfunction. Some previous studies have shown that flavonoids derived from herbal medicines are typical secondary metabolites. Due to its structural presence of multiple active hydroxyl groups, it is able to exert antioxidant activity in diseases. Therefore, in this review, we will search PubMed, Web of Science, Elesvier, Wliey, Springer for relevant literature, focusing on flavonoids extracted from herbal medicines, and summarizing how they can prevent endothelial dysfunction by inhibiting oxidative stress. Meanwhile, in our study, we found that flavonoid represented by quercetin and naringenin showed superior protective effects both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting the potential of flavonoid compounds in the treatment of AS.

Protective potential of hydroxysafflor yellow A in cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury: An overview of evidence from experimental studies

Ischemic stroke, mostly caused by thromboembolic or thrombotic arterial occlusions, is a primary leading cause of death worldwide with high morbidity and disability. Unfortunately, no specific medicine is available for the treatment of cerebral I/R injury due to its limitation of therapeutic window. Hydroxysafflor yellow A, a natural product extracted from Carthamus tinctorius, has been extensively investigated on its pharmacological properties in cerebrovascular diseases. However, review focusing on the beneficial role of HSYA against cerebral I/R injury is still lacking. In this paper, we reviewed the neuroprotective effect of HSYA in preclinical studies and the underlying mechanisms involved, as well as clinical data that support the pharmacological activities. Additionally, the sources, physicochemical properties, biosynthesis, safety and limitations of HSYA were also reviewed. As a result, HSYA possesses a wide range of beneficial effects against cerebral I/R injury, and its action mechanisms include anti-excitotoxicity, anti-oxidant stress, anti-apoptosis, anti-inflammation, attenuating BBB leakage and regulating autophagy. Collectively, HSYA might be applied as one of the promising alternatives in ischemic stroke treatment.

Mechanism of Huangqi-Honghua combination regulating the gut microbiota to affect bile acid metabolism towards preventing cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats

CONTEXT

Effective treatment of ischaemic stroke is required to combat its high prevalence and incidence. Although the combination of Astragalus membranaeus (Fisch.) Bge. (Fabaceae) and Carthamus tinctorius L. (Asteraceae) is used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of stroke, its underlying mechanism remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to elucidate the mechanism underlying Huangqi-Honghua (HQ-HH) for the treatment of ischaemic stroke by gut microbiota analysis and metabonomics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to the sham, model, HQ-HH, and Naoxintong (NXT) groups. The middle cerebral artery occlusion-reperfusion model was established after 7 days of intragastric administration in the HQ-HH (4.5 g/kg, qd) and NXT (1.0 g/kg, qd) groups. The neurological examination, infarct volume, gut microbiota, bile acids, and inflammation markers were assessed after 72 h of reperfusion.

RESULTS

Compared with the model group, HQ-HH significantly reduced the neurological deficit scores of the model rats (2.0 ± 0.2 vs. 3.16 ± 0.56), and reduced the cerebral infarct volume (27.83 ± 3.95 vs. 45.17 ± 2.75), and reduced the rate of necrotic neurons (26.35 ± 4.37 vs. 53.50 ± 9.61). HQ-HH regulating gut microbiota, activating the bile acid receptor FXR, maintaining the homeostasis of bile acid, reducing Th17 cells and increasing Treg cells in the rat brain, reducing the inflammatory response, and improving cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury.

CONCLUSIONS

These data indicate that HQ-HH combination can improve ischaemic stroke by regulating the gut microbiota to affect bile acid metabolism, providing experimental evidence for the wide application of HQ-HH in clinical practice of ischaemic stroke.

A New Therapeutic Trend: Natural Medicine for Ameliorating Ischemic Stroke via PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway

Ischemic stroke (IS) is an acute cerebrovascular disease caused by sudden arterial occlusion, which is characterized by a high morbidity, mortality, and disability rate. It is one of the most important causes of nervous system morbidity and mortality in the world. In recent years, the search for new medicine for the treatment of IS has become an attractive research focus. Due to the extremely limited time window of traditional medicine treatment, some side effects may occur, and accompanied by the occurrence of adverse reactions, the frequency of exploration with natural medicine is significantly increased. Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway is a classical pathway for cell metabolism, growth, apoptosis, and other physiological activities. There is considerable research on medicine that treats various diseases through this pathway. This review focuses on how natural medicines (including herbs and insects) regulate important pathophysiological processes such as inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, and the role it plays in improving IS. We found that many kinds of herbal medicine and insect medicine can alleviate the damage caused by IS through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Moreover, the prescription after their combination can also achieve certain results. Therefore, this review provides a new candidate category for medicine development in the treatment of IS.

Protective Effect of Flavonoids against Methylglyoxal-Induced Oxidative Stress in PC-12 Neuroblastoma Cells and Its Structure-Activity Relationships

Methylglyoxal-induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity are the main factors causing neuronal death-related, diabetically induced memory impairment. Antioxidant and anti-apoptotic therapy are potential intervention strategies. In this study, 25 flavonoids with different substructures were assayed for protecting PC-12 cells from methylglyoxal-induced damage. A structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis indicated that the absence of the double bond at C-2 and C-3, substitutions of the gallate group at the 3 position, the pyrogallol group at the B-ring, and the R configuration of the 3 position enhanced the protection of flavan-3-ols, and a hydroxyl substitution at the 4' and meta-positions were important for the protection of flavonol. These SARs were further confirmed by molecular docking using the active site of the Keap1-Nrf2 complex as the receptor. The mechanistic study demonstrated that EGCG with the lowest EC₅₀ protected the PC-12 cells from methylglyoxal-induced damage by reducing oxidative stress via the Nrf2/Keap1/HO-1 and Bcl-2/Bax signaling pathways. These results suggested that flavan-3-ols might be a potential dietary supplement for protection against diabetic encephalopathy.

Natural products of traditional Chinese medicine treat atherosclerosis by regulating inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a prevalent arteriosclerotic vascular disease that forms a pathological basis for coronary heart disease, stroke, and other diseases. Inflammatory and oxidative stress responses occur throughout the development of AS. Treatment for AS over the past few decades has focused on administering high-intensity statins to reduce blood lipid levels, but these inevitably damage liver and kidney function over the long term. Natural medicines are widely used to prevent and treat AS in China because of their wide range of beneficial effects, low toxicity, and minimal side effects. We searched for relevant literature over the past 5 years in databases such as PubMed using the keywords, “atherosclerosis,” “traditional Chinese medicine,” “natural medicines,” “inflammation,” and “oxidative stress.” We found that the PI3K/AKT, TLR4, JAK/STAT, Nrf2, MAPK, and NF-κB are the most relevant inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways in AS. This review summarizes studies of the natural alkaloid, flavonoid, polyphenol, saponin, and quinone pathways through which natural medicines used to treat AS. This study aimed to update and summarize progress in understanding how natural medicines treat AS via inflammatory and oxidative stress-related signaling pathways. We also planned to create an information base for the development of novel drugs for future AS treatment.

Comparative efficacy of Honghua class injections for treating acute ischemic stroke: A Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is associated with high morbidity, mortality, and disability. Clinical trials have shown that Honghua class injections (HCIs) combined with WM achieve better clinical efficacy than WM alone. In this study, we performed a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy of different HCIs combined with WM in treating AIS.

Methods: First, the inclusion and exclusion criteria were established. From inception to 1 June 2022, a systematic literature search was conducted in multiple databases for the treatment of AIS with HCIs, including Honghua injection (HI), Safflower Yellow injection (SYI), Guhong injection (GHI), and Danhong injection (DHI). Subsequently, OpenBUGS 3.2.3 was applied to conduct a Bayesian algorithm, and Stata 16.0 was used to prepare the graphs. Multidimensional cluster analysis was performed using the “scatterplot3d” package in R 3.6.1 software.

Results: In this NMA, a total of 120 eligible RCTs were included, involving 12,658 patients, and evaluating the clinical effectiveness rates, activities of daily living (ADL), hemorheological indexes, and adverse reactions (ADRs). DHI + WM was the best intervention for improving the clinical effectiveness rate. Moreover, cluster analysis demonstrated that DHI + WM and SYI + WM had better comprehensive therapeutic effects. As most of the included RCTs did not monitor ADRs, the safety of the HCIs remains to be further explored.

Conclusion: DHI + WM and SYI + WM probably have a better clinical efficacy on AIS patients. Nevertheless, due to the limitation of this NMA, this conclusion may be biased. High-quality RCTs should be performed to validate our findings.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42021229599

Potential active compounds and molecular mechanism of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction for atherosclerosis, based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

To explore the potential active compounds and molecular mechanism of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction (XFZYD) in the treatment of atherosclerosis (AS) based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. The effective components and action targets of XFZYD were screened by using TCMSP database. And then, the action targets of AS were collected by GeneCards database. The intersection targets between the effective components' targets of XFZYD and AS-related action targets were used to construct PPI networks. GO and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis were performed on these intersection targets. Finally, molecular docking software was used to excavate the active compounds of the core targets VEGFA and AKT1. We detected 225 active components of XFZYD, and found that quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, naringenin, β-sitosterol, isorhamnetin, stigmasterol, baicalein, nobiletin, and β-carotene are the potential active compounds of XFZYD; STAT3, IL6, JUN, VEGFA, MAPK14, and AKT1 are the core target proteins of the active compounds, among which VEGFA and AKT1 are the key target proteins. PPI network results showed that β-carotene, quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, and naringenin had higher degree values and more corresponding targets than other 5 active compounds and had the stable binding ability to regulatory proteins VEGFA and AKT1. The core components β-carotene, quercetin, kaempferol, and luteolin exerted their therapeutic effects on AS by acting on the key target proteins VEGFA and AKT1 to regulate fluid shear stress and the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway and IL-17 signaling pathway of diabetic complications of AS. The molecular docking results showed that VEGFA and AKT1 had great docking ability with the targeted active compounds, and β-carotene is the best. The active components of XFZYD, including β -carotene, quercetin, kamanol, and luteolin, can act on VEGFA and AKT1. These active ingredients play a role in alleviating and treating AS by regulating fluid shear stress and participating in signaling pathways such AS AGE-RAGE of atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus complicated with AS. β-carotene is a potential inhibitor of VEGFA and AKT1 and treats AS through antioxidant action.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Hydroxyl Safflower Yellow a in Diabetic Nephropathy: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a chronic progressive disorder which is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). As an important pathogenesis of DKD, the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the inflammatory response have been considered central mediators in the progression of DKD. Herbal products are increasingly being applied as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. Of those, the effect of hydroxyl safflower yellow A (HSYA) on oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions has gradually been investigated for DKD treatment, which may provide therapies for DKD with new insights and promote its application in clinical practice.

Methods: We searched CNKI, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, the Wanfang Database, PubMed, and Embase from the establishment date of the database to 22 April 2022. The included literature in our study was randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using HSYA to treat DKD. We performed a meta-analysis by calculating the standard mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The inverse-variance method with a random effect was used in our meta-analysis using Stata software and RevMan software.

Results: A total of 31 articles with 31 groups containing a total of 2487 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed a statistical improvement in the following measurements: fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PBG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urinary albumin excretion rates (UAER), serum creatinine (SCR), hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), fasting insulin (FINS), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C), homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and malondialdehyde (MDA).

Conclusion: HSYA can effectively treat DKD by inhibiting inflammatory reactions and oxidative stress, decreasing blood glucose and blood lipids, and improving renal function indices. However, more RCTs are still needed in the future to further demonstrate the effect of HSYA on biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions in patients with DKD due to the low quality and small sample size of the literature included in this study.

Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO: CRD 42021235689

Hydroxysafflor yellow B induces apoptosis via mitochondrial pathway in human gastric cancer cells

OBJECTIVES

Hydroxysafflor yellow B (HSYB) is extracted from the petals of the safflower, a Chinese medicine. Relevant research results have demonstrated that HSYA can suppress the abnormal tumour cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis. However, the properties of HSYB have rarely been reported, especially its antitumour effects on gastric cancer (GC).

METHODS

SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells were treated with different concentrations of HSYB. Cell proliferation inhibition rate was detected by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and colony formation detection. The changes in morphology of cells was observed by Hoechst 33258 staining. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by Annexin V-FITC/PI (fluoresceinisothiocyanate/propidium iodide) double staining. JC-1 was used to detect the level of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The protein levels of cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-9, APAF-1, cytoplasmic cytochrome C, BAX and BCL-2 were examined by western blot.

KEY FINDINGS

HSYB significantly suppressed the proliferation of SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells. Hoechst 33258 staining assay showed that HSYB treatment triggered apoptotic morphology and the apoptotic rates were significantly increased after being treated with HSYB and the mitochondrial membrane potential was gradually decreased in human GC cells. In addition, Western blot analysis revealed that the levels of cleaved-caspase-3 and cleaved-caspase-9 were remarkably increased in HSYB-treated BGC-823 and SGC-7901 cells. And, the levels of apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (APAF-1) and cytoplasmic cytochrome C were remarkably up-regulated in HSYB-treated cells. At the same time, HSYB could up-regulate the level of BAX and down-regulate the level of BCL-2.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that HSYB could induce GC cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway.

Clinical Patterns of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Ischemic Heart Disease Treatment: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Background and objectives: Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are widely prescribed to relieve ischemic heart disease (IHD); however, no cohort studies have been conducted on the use of TCMs for patients with IHD. The aim of the study was to analyze TCM prescription patterns for patients with IHD. Materials and Methods: The retrospective population-based study employed a randomly sampled cohort of 4317 subjects who visited TCM clinics. Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan for the period covering 2000 to 2017. Data analysis focused on the top ten most commonly prescribed formulae and single TCMs. We also examined the most common two- and three-drug combinations of TCM in single prescriptions. Demographic characteristics included age and sex distributions. Analysis was performed on 22,441 prescriptions. Results: The majority of TCM patients were male (53.6%) and over 50 years of age (65.1%). Zhi-Gan-Cao-Tang (24.76%) was the most frequently prescribed formulae, and Danshen (28.89%) was the most frequently prescribed single TCM for the treatment of IHD. The most common two- and three-drug TCM combinations were Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang and Danshen” (7.51%) and “Zhi-Gan-Cao-Tang, Yang-Xin-Tang, and Gua-Lou-Xie-Bai-Ban-Xia-Tang” (2.79%). Conclusions: Our results suggest that most of the frequently prescribed TCMs for IHD were Qi toning agents that deal with cardiovascular disease through the promotion of blood circulation. The widespread use of these drugs warrants large-scale, randomized clinical trials to investigate their effectiveness and safety.

Pharmacological Activities of Safflower Yellow and Its Clinical Applications

Background. Safflower is an annual herb used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine. It consists of the dried flowers of the Compositae plant safflower. It is found in the central inland areas of Asia and is widely cultivated throughout the country. Its resistance to cold weather and droughts and its tolerance and adaptability to salts and alkalis are strong. Safflower has the effect of activating blood circulation, dispersing blood stasis, and relieving pain. A natural pigment named safflower yellow (SY) can be extracted from safflower petals. Chemically, SY is a water-soluble flavonoid and the main active ingredient of safflower. The main chemical constituents, pharmacological properties, and clinical applications of SY are reviewed in this paper, thereby providing a reference for the use of safflower in preventing and treating human diseases. Methods. The literature published in recent years was reviewed, and the main chemical components of SY were identified based on chemical formula and structure. The pharmacological properties of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), SYA, SYB, and anhydrosafflor yellow B (AHSYB) were reviewed. Results. The main chemical constituents of SY included HSYA, SYA, SYB, and AHSYB. These ingredients have a wide range of pharmacological activities. SY has protective effects on the heart, kidneys, liver, nerves, lungs, and brain. Moreover, its effects include, but are not limited to, improving cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, abirritation, regulating lipids, and treating cancer and diabetic complications. HSYA is widely recognised as an effective ingredient to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Conclusion. SY has a wide range of pharmacological activities, among which improving cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are the most significant.

Chemical Constituents from the Flowers of Carthamus tinctorius L. and Their Lung Protective Activity

A new flavonoid, saffloflavanside (1), a new sesquiterpene, safflomegastigside (2), and a new amide, saffloamide (3), together with twenty-two known compounds (4-25), were isolated from the flowers of Carthamus tinctorius L. Their structures were determined based on interpretation of their spectroscopic data and comparison with those reported in the literature. The protective effects against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated damage on human normal lung epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells of the compounds were evaluated using MTT assay and cellular immunofluorescence assay. The results showed that compounds 2-3, 8-11, and 15-19 exhibited protective effects against LPS-induced damage to BEAS-2B cells. Moreover, compounds 2-3, 8-11, and 15-19 can significantly downregulate the level of nuclear translocation of NF-κB p-p65. In summary, this study revealed chemical constituents with lung protective activity from C. tinctorius, which may be developed as a drug for the treatment of lung injury.

NLRP3-Mediated Inflammation in Atherosclerosis and Associated Therapeutics

The NLRP3 inflammasome is a crucial constituent of the body’s innate immune system, and a multiprotein platform which is initiated by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Its activation leads to caspase-1 maturation and release of inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18, and subsequently causes pyroptosis. Recently, the excess activation of NLRP3 inflammasome has been confirmed to mediate inflammatory responses and to participate in genesis and development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, the progress on the discovery of specific inhibitors against the NLRP3 inflammasome and the upstream and downstream inflammatory factors has become potential targets for clinical treatment. Here we review the recently described mechanisms about the NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and discuss emphatically the pharmacological interventions using statins and natural medication for atherosclerosis associated with NLRP3 inflammasome.

Glycosides for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Potential Medicinal Components

Neuropathic pain is a refractory disease that occurs across the world and pharmacotherapy has limited efficacy and/or safety. This disease imposes a significant burden on both the somatic and mental health of patients; indeed, some patients have referred to neuropathic pain as being ‘worse than death’. The pharmacological agents that are used to treat neuropathic pain at present can produce mild effects in certain patients, and induce many adverse reactions, such as sedation, dizziness, vomiting, and peripheral oedema. Therefore, there is an urgent need to discover novel drugs that are safer and more effective. Natural compounds from medical plants have become potential sources of analgesics, and evidence has shown that glycosides alleviated neuropathic pain via regulating oxidative stress, transcriptional regulation, ion channels, membrane receptors and so on. In this review, we summarize the epidemiology of neuropathic pain and the existing therapeutic drugs used for disease prevention and treatment. We also demonstrate how glycosides exhibit an antinociceptive effect on neuropathic pain in laboratory research and describe the antinociceptive mechanisms involved to facilitate the discovery of new drugs to improve the quality of life of patients experiencing neuropathic pain.

Pharmacological Actions, Molecular Mechanisms, Pharmacokinetic Progressions, and Clinical Applications of Hydroxysafflor Yellow A in Antidiabetic Research

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), a nutraceutical compound derived from safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), has been shown as an effective therapeutic agent in cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes. Our previous study showed that the effect of HSYA on high-glucose-induced podocyte injury is related to its anti-inflammatory activities via macrophage polarization. Based on the information provided on PubMed, Scopus and Wanfang database, we currently aim to provide an updated overview of the role of HSYA in antidiabetic research from the following points: pharmacological actions, molecular mechanisms, pharmacokinetic progressions, and clinical applications. The pharmacokinetic research of HSYA has laid foundations for the clinical applications of HSYA injection in diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic neuropathy. The application of HSYA as an antidiabetic oral medicament has been investigated based on its recent oral delivery system research. In vivo and in vitro pharmacological research indicated that the antidiabetic activities of HSYA were based mainly on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms via JNK/c-jun pathway, NOX4 pathway, and macrophage differentiation. Further anti-inflammatory exploration related to NF-κB signaling, MAPK pathway, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway might deserve attention in the future. The anti-inflammatory activities of HSYA related to diabetes and diabetic complications will be a highlight in our following research.