Experimental osteoporosis induced in female albino rats and its antagonism by Indian black scorpion (Heterometrus bengalensis C.L.Koch) venom

Qizhi Kebitong Formula Ameliorates Streptozocin-Induced Diabetic Osteoporosis through Regulating the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB Pathway

Background

Diabetic osteoporosis (DOP) is a progressive osteoblast dysfunction induced by high glucose, which has negative impacts on bone homeostasis. Qizhi Kebitong formula (QKF) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula for treating DOP. However, its role in the protection of DOP has not been clarified yet. Here, we aimed to explore the potential mechanisms of QKF on DOP development via in vivo experiment.

Methods

Network pharmacology was used to detect the key targets and signaling pathways of QKF on DOP. The effects of QKF on DOP were examined by the phenotypic characteristics, micro-CT, and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. The predicted targets and pathways were validated by a streptozocin- (STZ-) induced mouse model. Subsequently, the levels of the selected genes and proteins were analyzed using qRT-PCR and Western blot. Finally, AutoDock and PyMOL were used for molecular docking.

Results

In this study, 90 active compounds and 2970 related disease targets have been found through network pharmacology. And QKF could improve the microstructures of femur bone mass, reduce inflammatory cell infiltration, and downregulate the levels of TNF-α, IKBKB, IL-6, and IL-1β. Moreover, the underlying effect of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathways was also recommended in the treatment.

Conclusion

Altogether, our findings suggested that QKF could markedly alleviate osteoblast dysfunction by modulating the key targets and PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Anti-Cancer Effect of Moroccan Cobra Naja haje Venom and Its Fractions against Hepatocellular Carcinoma in 3D Cell Culture

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer in adults, the fifth most common malignancy worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer related death. An alternative to the surgical treatments and drugs, such as sorafenib, commonly used in medicine is necessary to overcome this public health problem. In this study, we determine the anticancer effect on HCC of Moroccan cobra Naja haje venom and its fraction obtained by gel filtration chromatography against Huh7.5 cancer cell line. Cells were grown together with WI38 human fibroblast cells, LX2 human hepatic stellate cell line, and human endothelial cells (HUVEC) in MCTS (multi-cellular tumor spheroids) models. The hepatotoxicity of venom and its fractions were also evaluated using the normal hepatocytes cell line (Fa2N-4 cells). Our results showed that an anti HCC activity of Moroccan cobra Naja haje venom and, more specifically, the F7 fraction of gel filtration chromatography exhibited the greatest anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effect by decreasing the size of MCTS. This effect is associated with a low toxicity against normal hepatocytes. These results strongly suggest that the F7 fraction of Moroccan cobra Naja haje venom obtained by gel filtration chromatography possesses the ability to inhibit cancer cells proliferation. More research is needed to identify the specific molecule(s) responsible for the anticancer effect and investigate their mechanism of action.

A Comparative Study of Actinidia deliciosa and Garcinia mangostana in Ovariectomy-Induced Osteoporosis in Female Wistar Rats

The present study was designed to evaluate antiosteoporotic activity of the fresh juice mixtures obtained from Actinidia deliciosa and Garcinia mangostana as well as the pericarp extract of Garcinia mangostana on postmenopausal osteoporosis. 3-month-old female Wistar rats were ovariectiomized and the treatment began 14 days after ovariectomy and continued for 40 days. Statistically significant changes were noticed in body weight, ash weight, bone mineral content, and femur length and weight followed by serum evaluation and histopathology of femur bone. Administration of the fresh juice mixtures of the fruits of Actinidia deliciosa and Garcinia mangostana prevented ovariectomy-induced bone loss. The administration of the fresh juice mixtures resulted in an increase in the femur length and weight, followed by an increase in the body weight as well as the calcium content obtained from the ash of the femur bone. It is evident that the fresh juice mixtures can be used as a remedy as well as a prophylactic for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. The present study showed that the combined effect of the fruit juice mixtures of Actinidia deliciosa and Garcinia mangostana was found to be a better treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis when compared to the pericarp extract of Garcinia mangostana.

Therapeutic arthropods and other, largely terrestrial, folk-medicinally important invertebrates: a comparative survey and review

Traditional healing methods involving hundreds of insect and other invertebrate species are reviewed. Some of the uses are based on the tenet of "similia similibus" (let likes be cured by likes), but not all non-conventional health promoting practices should be dismissed as superstition or wishful thinking, for they have stood the test of time. Two questions are addressed: how can totally different organ systems in a human possibly benefit from extracts, potions, powders, secretions, ashes, etc. of a single species and how can different target organs, e.g. bronchi, lungs, the urinary bladder, kidneys, etc. apparently respond to a range of taxonomically not even closely related species? Even though therapeutically used invertebrates are generally small, they nevertheless possess organs for specific functions, e.g. digestion, gas exchange, reproduction. They have a nervous system, endocrine glands, a heart and muscle tissue and they contain a multitude of different molecules like metabolites, enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, secretions, etc. that have come under increased scientific scrutiny for pharmacological properties. Bearing that in mind it seems likely that a single species prepared and used in different ways could have a multitude of uses. But how, for example, can there be remedies for breathing and other problems, involving earthworms, molluscs, termites, beetles, cockroaches, bugs, and dragonflies? Since invertebrates themselves can suffer from infections and cancers, common defence reactions are likely to have evolved in all invertebrates, which is why it would be far more surprising to find that each species had evolved its own unique disease fighting system. To obtain a more comprehensive picture, however, we still need information on folk medicinal uses of insects and other invertebrates from a wider range of regions and ethnic groups, but this task is hampered by western-based medicines becoming increasingly dominant and traditional healers being unable and sometimes even unwilling to transmit their knowledge to the younger generation. However, collecting and uncontrolled uses of therapeutic invertebrates can put undue pressure on certain highly sought after species and this is something that has to be borne in mind as well.

Maxcal-C (a polyherbal formulation) prevents ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats

Objectives:

The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-osteoporotic activity of Maxcal-C in ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis in rats.

Materials and Methods:

Sham-operated control rats were designated as Group I; Group II animals served as OVX control; Group III OVX control rats treated with Calcium Sandoz (50 mg/kg, p.o.); Group IV and V OVX control rats treated with Maxcal-C (250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o.), respectively. All the aforementioned treatments were given for four weeks after the development of osteoporosis. At the end of the treatment, serum biochemical parameters such as serum calcium and alkaline phosphate were measured. After sacrificing the animals, femoral bone parameters with histology, body weight, and bone breaking strength of 5^th lumbar vertebra were measured.

Results:

The treatment with Maxcal-C showed a significant improvement in serum biochemical, femoral bone parameters, and bone breaking strength of 5^th lumbar vertebra with histopathological changes.

Conclusion:

The finding of the present study indicates that Maxcal-C showed a potential anti-osteoporotic activity. These results support the traditional use of Maxcal-C in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Lycopene treatment against loss of bone mass, microarchitecture and strength in relation to regulatory mechanisms in a postmenopausal osteoporosis model

Lycopene supplementation decreases oxidative stress and exhibits beneficial effects on bone health, but the mechanisms through which it alters bone metabolism in vivo remain unclear. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of lycopene treatment on postmenopausal osteoporosis. Six-month-old female Wistar rats (n=264) were sham-operated (SHAM) or ovariectomized (OVX). The SHAM group received oral vehicle only and the OVX rats were randomized into five groups receiving oral daily lycopene treatment (mg/kg body weight per day): 0 OVX (control), 15 OVX, 30 OVX, and 45 OVX, and one group receiving alendronate (ALN) (2μg/kg body weight per day), for 12weeks. Bone densitometry measurements, bone turnover markers, biomechanical testing, and histomorphometric analysis were conducted. Micro computed tomography was also used to evaluate changes in microarchitecture. Lycopene treatment suppressed the OVX-induced increase in bone turnover, as indicated by changes in biomarkers of bone metabolism: serum osteocalcin (s-OC), serum N-terminal propeptide of type 1 collagen (s-PINP), serum crosslinked carboxyterminal telopeptides (s-CTX-1), and urinary deoxypyridinoline (u-DPD). Significant improvement in OVX-induced loss of bone mass, bone strength, and microarchitectural deterioration was observed in lycopene-treated OVX animals. These effects were observed mainly at sites rich in trabecular bone, with less effect in cortical bone. Lycopene treatment down-regulated osteoclast differentiation concurrent with up-regulating osteoblast together with glutathione peroxidase (GPx) catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. These findings demonstrate that lycopene treatment in OVX rats primarily suppressed bone turnover to restore bone strength and microarchitecture.

Tityus serrulatus venom--A lethal cocktail

Tityus serrulatus (Ts) is the main scorpion species of medical importance in Brazil. Ts venom is composed of several compounds such as mucus, inorganic salts, lipids, amines, nucleotides, enzymes, kallikrein inhibitor, natriuretic peptide, proteins with high molecular mass, peptides, free amino acids and neurotoxins. Neurotoxins are considered the most responsible for the envenoming syndrome due to their pharmacological action on ion channels such as voltage-gated sodium (Nav) and potassium (Kv) channels. The major goal of this review is to present important advances in Ts envenoming research, correlating both the crude Ts venom and isolated toxins with alterations observed in all human systems. The most remarkable event lies in the Ts induced massive releasing of neurotransmitters influencing, directly or indirectly, the entire body. Ts venom proved to extremely affect nervous and muscular systems, to modulate the immune system, to induce cardiac disorders, to cause pulmonary edema, to decrease urinary flow and to alter endocrine, exocrine, reproductive, integumentary, skeletal and digestive functions. Therefore, Ts venom possesses toxins affecting all anatomic systems, making it a lethal cocktail. However, its low lethality may be due to the low venom mass injected, to the different venom compositions, the body characteristics and health conditions of the victim and the local of Ts sting. Furthermore, we also described the different treatments employed during envenoming cases. In particular, throughout the review, an effort will be made to provide information from an extensive documented studies concerning Ts venom in vitro, in animals and in humans (a total of 151 references).

Scorpion peptides: potential use for new drug development

Several peptides contained in scorpion fluids showed diverse array of biological activities with high specificities to their targeted sites. Many investigations outlined their potent effects against microbes and showed their potential to modulate various biological mechanisms that are involved in immune, nervous, cardiovascular, and neoplastic diseases. Because of their important structural and functional diversity, it is projected that scorpion-derived peptides could be used to develop new specific drugs. This review summarizes relevant findings improving their use as valuable tools for new drugs development.