T- and B-cell immunosuppressive activity of novel α-santonin analogs with humoral and cellular immune response in Balb/c mice

Artemisia annua Extract Attenuate Doxorubicin-Induced Hepatic Injury via PI-3K/Akt/Nrf-2-Mediated Signaling Pathway in Rats

Doxorubicin (DOX), which is used to treat cancer, has harmful effects that limit its therapeutic application. Finding preventative agents to thwart DOX-caused injuries is thus imperative. Artemisia annua has numerous biomedical uses. This study aims to investigate the attenuative effect of Artemisia annua leaf extract (AALE) treatment on DOX-induced hepatic toxicity in male rats. A phytochemical screening of AALE was evaluated. Forty male rats were used; G1 was a negative control group, G2 was injected with AALE (150 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p) daily for a month, 4 mg/kg of DOX was given i.p to G3 once a week for a month, and G4 was injected with DOX as G3 and with AALE as G2. Body weight changes and biochemical, molecular, and histopathological investigations were assessed. The results showed that AALE contains promising phytochemical constituents that contribute to several potential biomedical applications. AALE mitigated the hepatotoxicity induced by DOX in rats as evidenced by restoring the alterations in the biochemical parameters, antioxidant gene expression, and hepatic histopathological alterations in rats. Importantly, the impact of AALE against the hepatic deterioration resulting from DOX treatment is through activation of the PI-3K/Akt/Nrf-2 signaling, which in turn induces the antioxidant agents.

Isoxanthanol alleviates Staphylococcus aureus induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in rat model through promotion of miR-145-5p expression

The present study was aimed to evaluate the isoxanthanol against Staphylococcus aureus chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in rat model. The isoxanthanol decreased the parasitic load by almost 99% in the Staphylococcus aureus infected rats. It significantly (P < 0.05) decreased mortality rate of the rats, prevented pulmonary tissue damage and aggregation of inflammatory cytokines. In Staphylococcus aureus infected rats, isoxanthanol treatment inhibited production of interleukin-18, interleukin-1β and TNF-α significantly (P < 0.05) in the BALF and pulmonary tissues. Treatment of the Staphylococcus aureus-infected rats with isoxanthanol inhibited up-regulation of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 expression. In Staphylococcus aureus-infected rats the expression of miR-145-5p was remarkably increased on treatment with isoxanthanol. In summary, isoxanthanol prevents Staphylococcus aureus-induced COPD in rats through up-regulation of miR-145-5p and suppression of inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, isoxanthanol can be of therapeutic importance for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus induced COPD.

Research Advances on Health Effects of Edible Artemisia Species and Some Sesquiterpene Lactones Constituents

The genus Artemisia, often known collectively as "wormwood", has aroused great interest in the scientific community, pharmaceutical and food industries, generating many studies on the most varied aspects of these plants. In this review, the most recent evidence on health effects of edible Artemisia species and some of its constituents are presented and discussed, based on studies published until 2020, available in the Scopus, Web of Sciences and PubMed databases, related to food applications, nutritional and sesquiterpene lactones composition, and their therapeutic effects supported by in vivo and clinical studies. The analysis of more than 300 selected articles highlights the beneficial effect on health and the high clinical relevance of several Artemisia species besides some sesquiterpene lactones constituents and their derivatives. From an integrated perspective, as it includes therapeutic and nutritional properties, without ignoring some adverse effects described in the literature, this review shows the great potential of Artemisia plants and some of their constituents as dietary supplements, functional foods and as the source of new, more efficient, and safe medicines. Despite all the benefits demonstrated, some gaps need to be filled, mainly related to the use of raw Artemisia extracts, such as its standardization and clinical trials on adverse effects and its health care efficacy.

Walnut Polyphenol Extract Protects against Malathion- and Chlorpyrifos-Induced Immunotoxicity by Modulating TLRx-NOX-ROS

Malathion (MT) and chlorpyrifos (CPF) are immunotoxic organophosphate pesticides that are used extensively in agriculture worldwide. Dietary polyphenols protect against a variety of toxins. In this study, walnut polyphenol extract (WPE) prevents MT- or CPF-induced toxicity to splenic lymphocytes in vitro. WPE promotes the proliferation of MT-exposed splenocytes, as indicated by increases in the proportions of splenic T-lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells) and levels of T-cell-related cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-γ, IL-4, and granzyme B, and decreases the apoptosis-associated proteins Bax and p53. WPE also significantly enhances the proliferation of CPF-exposed splenic B lymphocytes (CD19+ B cells) and levels of the B-cell-related cytokine IL-6, leading to decreases of the apoptosis-associated proteins Bax and p53. These effects are related to reduced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as evidenced by normalized hydroxyl radical (•OH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) levels, which are associated with decreased expression of NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) and dual oxidase 1 (DUOX1). WPE inhibits the production of ROS and expression of NOX by regulating toll-like receptors 4 and 7 in MT- and CPF-exposed splenic lymphocytes. In conclusion, WPE protects against MT- or CPF-mediated immunotoxicity and inhibits oxidative damage by modulating toll-like receptor (TLR)x-NOX-ROS.

Walnut Polyphenol Extract Protects against Fenitrothion-Induced Immunotoxicity in Murine Splenic Lymphocytes

Fenitrothion (FNT), an organophosphate pesticide, exerts an immunotoxic effect on splenocytes. Dietary polyphenol compounds exert antioxidant, anticancer and antihypertensive effects. In this study, we investigated the effect of walnut polyphenol extract (WPE) on FNT-induced immunotoxicity in splenic lymphocytes in vitro. Treatment with WPE significantly increased the proliferation of FNT-exposed splenocytes, as evidenced by increases in the proportions of splenic T lymphocytes (CD3⁺ T cells) and T-cell subsets (CD8⁺ T cells), as well as the secretion of the T-cell-related cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-γ, IL-4 and granzyme B. These effects were associated with a reduction in oxidative stress, as evidenced by changes in the levels of hydroxyl radical, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and malondialdehyde. Moreover, WPE decreased the FNT-induced overexpression of NADPH oxidase 2 and dual oxidase 1 by regulating Toll-like receptor 4 signaling in splenic T-cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that WPE protects against FNT-mediated immunotoxicity and improves immune function by inhibiting oxidative stress.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel bavachinin analogs as anticancer agents

A library of 28 analogs of bavachinin including aliphatic and aromatic ethers, epoxide, chalcone, oxime, semicarbazide, oxime ether and triazole derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxicity against four different human cancer cell lines. Bio-evaluation studies exhibited better cytotoxic profile for many analogs compare to bavachinin. Best results were observed for a 1,2,3-triazole analog (17i) with IC₅₀ values 7.72, 16.08, 7.13 and 11.67 μM against lung (A549), prostate (PC-3), colon (HCT-116) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines respectively. This analog showed three and four fold improvement in cytotoxicity against HCT-116 and A549 cell lines than parent molecule (1). Structure activity relationship (SAR) study for all synthesized analogs was carried out. Further, mechanistic study of the lead molecule (17i) revealed that it inhibits colony formation and in vitro migration of human colon cancer cells (HCT-116). Also, it induced the morphological changes and mediated the apoptotic cell death of HCT-116 cells with perturbance in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and PARP cleavage.

A convergent synthesis of novel alkyne-azide cycloaddition congeners of betulinic acid as potent cytotoxic agent

In an endeavour to develop potent anti-tumor agents from betulinic acid (BA), a series of C-28 derived 1,2,3-triazolyl derivatives were designed and synthesized by employing Cu(I) catalyzed Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. All the derivatives were evaluated for cytotoxic activity by MTT assay against five different human cancer cell lines: lung (A549), colon (HCT116), prostate (PC3), pancreatic (MIA PaCa-2) and breast (T47D). The data revealed that compounds 11c, 11d, 11g, 11h and 13a possess most promising cytotoxic potential. The compound 11h was one of the most active compounds, with IC₅₀ values in the range of 4-6µM against all the five cancer cell lines. The results of this study suggested that derivatives with free -OH (11c, 11d and 11g) and free -COOH (11h and 13a) substitutions in the triazole moiety introduced at the C-28 position significantly improved the anti-tumor activity and may be the favourable position to synthesize potent anticancer leads from BA. Introduction of a non polar alkyl groups at C-28 position (10, 12 and 14) resulted in the significant loss of the activity. Further, DAPI staining, ROS generation and wound healing experiments revealed that compound 11h induces apoptosis in HCT-116 cells.