Protective Effect of Areca catechu Leaf Ethanol Extract Against Ethanol-Induced Gastric Ulcers in ICR Mice

Integrated Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology to Decipher the Latent Mechanisms of Protopanaxatriol against Acetic Acid-Induced Gastric Ulcer

Gastric ulcer (GU) is a peptic disease with high morbidity and mortality rates affecting approximately 4% of the population throughout the world. Current therapies for GU are limited by the high relapse incidence and side effects. Therefore, novel effective antiulcer drugs are urgently needed. Ginsenosides have shown good anti-GU effects, and the major intestinal bacterial metabolite of ginsenosides, protopanaxatriol (PPT), is believed to be the active component. In this study, we evaluated the anti-GU effect of PPT in rats in an acetic acid-induced GU model. High (H-PPT) and medium (M-PPT) doses of PPT (20.0 and 10.0 mg/mg/day) significantly reduced the ulcer area and the ET-1, IL-6, EGF, SOD, MDA and TNF-α levels in serum were regulated by PPT in a dose-dependent manner. We also investigated the mechanisms of anti-GU activity of PPT based on metabolomics coupled with network pharmacology strategy. The result was that 16 biomarkers, 3 targets and 3 metabolomic pathways were identified as playing a vital role in the treatment of GU with PPT and were further validated by molecular docking. In this study, we have demonstrated that the integrated analysis of metabolomics and network pharmacology is an effective strategy for deciphering the complicated mechanisms of natural compounds.

Is it safe to consume traditional medicinal plants during pregnancy?

The popularity of natural medicine is growing worldwide. Unlike conventional licensed medicines, herbal medicine practices are usually not supported by effectiveness, efficacy, or safety studies, which raise concerns about potential risks involved in their usage, particularly in high-risk patients such as pregnant women where teratogenicity is a concern. Despite a lack of science-based evidence, the use of herbal products for the management of pregnancy-associated challenges is common, due to the common notion that they are free of toxic effects and adverse reactions because they are "natural." The lack of concern about utilizing herbal remedies during pregnancy is strengthened by the lack of regulation in most countries for their marketing. However, plant-based remedies are not free of adverse reactions. Medicinal plants and herbal remedies contain substances that can be toxic to the human body and the fetus. Potential effects of indiscriminate use of medicinal plants are embryotoxicity, teratogenic, and abortifacient effects. Some plant constituents can cross the placenta and reach the fetus. Phytochemicals and their metabolites are known to induce stimulation of uterine contraction and hormone imbalance that could result in abortion. The alterations to the hormonal profile can affect conception, induce teratogenic activity, and halt the pregnancy or produce a congenital malformation. Due to the wide range of modes of action of phytochemicals, some medicinal plants may be safe to use during certain trimesters of pregnancy and harmful at other stages. This manuscript reviews available scientific information concerning potential health hazards associated with the consumption of herbal medicines during pregnancy, highlighting those herbs that should be avoided due to their potential abortifacient and/or teratogenic activity. We focused on plants that were tested by preclinical studies, and studies of these plants are summarized. Common therapeutic use of these herbs, estimated effects, toxicological effects, and animal studies of these plants is summarized. The literature reviewed suggests that consumption of the following medicinal plants should be avoided during pregnancy: Abrus precatorius, Achyranthes aspera, Ailanthus excelsa, Aloe vera, Aristolochia indica, Areca catechu, Bambusa vulgaris, Cassia occidentalis, Cicer arietinum, Cimicifuga racemose, Dolichandrone falcate, Ginkgo biloba, Hydrastis canadensis, Indigofera trifoliate, Lavandula latifolia, Maytenus ilicifolia, Momordica cymbalaria, Moringa oleifera, Musa rosacea, Oxalis corniculate, Phytolacca dodecandra, Plumeria rubra, Ricinus communis, Ruta graveolens, Stachys lavandulifolia, Senna alata, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Vitus agnus-castus, and Valeriana officinalis.

Protective effects and potential underlying mechanisms of sodium copper chlorophyllin against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice

In study, we aimed to determine the mechanisms underlying the gastroprotective effects of sodium copper chlorophyllin (SCC) against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer injury in mice. First, the gastroprotective effects of SCC against gastric ulcer induced by ethanol were assessed. Then, biochemical, histopathological, immunohistochemistry assays, and western blot analysis were conducted to determine the possible mechanisms of action underlying the effects of SCC. Compared to the effects of omeprazole (OME) in a confirmed mouse model of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer injury, treatment with various doses of SCC resulted in up-regulation of Bcl-2 and down-regulation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax. Significant decreases in the levels of the malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and NO in the gastric tissues were observed. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokine analysis revealed that SCC treatment inhibited the expressions of TNF-α and IL-6, greatly reduced the phosphorylation level of IκB, and repressed the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65, which demonstrated that SCC inhibited the activation of the NF-κB pathway. The present findings suggest that the protective effects of SCC may be beneficial as a potential preventive and therapeutic agent for gastric ulcer through the NF-κB pathway. Taken together, SCC administration significantly decreased the levels of MPO, NO, and MDA in gastric tissue and exerted a powerful anti-inflammatory activity as demonstrated by reduction in the secretions of proinflammatory mediators such as IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum of mice exposed to ethanol.

Gastroprotective effect of apricot kernel oil in ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats

We investigated the gastroprotective effect of apricot kernel oil on ethanol induced gastric ulcer in rats. Male Wistar albino rats were divided into control, ethanol and apricot kernel oil + ethanol groups. The fatty acid composition of apricot kernel oil was determined using GC-MS. A gastric ulcer index was defined as the area percentage of the gastric mucosa consisting of ulcerated tissue. Gastric tissue was investigated by TUNEL staining for apoptosis, immunohistochemical iNOS staining, measurement of gastric IL-10 and IL-6 expression by ELISA and assays of catalase, malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase. The ethanol group exhibited a higher gastric ulcer score, increased IL-6 level, increased number of inducible nitric oxide synthase-positive and TUNEL positive cells, and a higher MDA level compared to the control group. The apricot kernel oil + ethanol group exhibited significantly fewer gastric lesions compared to the ethanol group. Apricot kernel oil protects rat gastric mucosa against ethanol induced injury by its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effects, and might be useful for reducing the severity of gastric ulcers.

Smallanthus sonchifolius leaf attenuates neuroinflammation

[Purpose]

Yacon, Smallanthus sonchifolius, has anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer potential. However, its neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammatory effects are unknown. Moreover, activation of microglia has been considered a mechanism in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the neuroprotective effects of an ethanolic yacon leaf extract (YLE) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation in vitro and in vivo.

[Methods]

The viability of microglial BV2 cells was tested with 2,3-bis[2-methyloxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolim-5-carboxanilide. The production of nitric oxide (NO) was determined by the Griess reagent. mRNA expression and protein levels of inflammatory mediators were evaluated by the real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, respectively. In addition, we performed histological analysis in mice treated with an intraperitoneal injection of LPS (250 μg/kg).

[Results]

Our results showed that treatment with YLE significantly reduced NO production in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells. YLE also decreased mRNA levels of the inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor alpha, inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and interleukin-1 beta. In vivo, YLE (40 mg/kg daily for seven days) significantly diminished LPS-induced tissue damage in the dentate gyrus and cornu amonis regions of the hippocampus by regulating the levels of inflammatory factors.

[Conclusion]

Our findings support the protective effects of YLE against the development of neurodegeneration.

Anti-neuroinflammatory effects of ethanolic extract of black chokeberry (Aronia melanocapa L.) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV2 cells and ICR mice

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

One of the mechanisms considered to be prevalent in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is hyper-stimulation of microglia. Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocapa L.) is widely used to treat diabetes and atherosclerosis, and is known to exert anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects; however, its neuroprotective effects have not been elucidated thus far.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We undertook to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of the ethanolic extract of black chokeberry friut (BCE) in BV2 cells, and evaluate its neuroprotective effect in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse model of AD.

RESULTS

Following stimulation of BV2 cells by LPS, exposure to BCE significantly reduced the generation of nitric oxide as well as mRNA levels of numerous inflammatory factors such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). In addition, AD was induced in a mouse model by intraperitoneal injection of LPS (250 µg/kg), subsequent to which we investigated the neuroprotective effects of BCE (50 mg/kg) on brain damage. We observed that BCE significantly reduced tissue damage in the hippocampus by downregulating iNOS, COX-2, and TNF-α levels. We further identified the quinic acids in BCE using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS). Furthermore, we confirmed the neuroprotective effect of BCE and quinic acid on amyloid beta-induced cell death in rat hippocampal primary neurons.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that black chokeberry has protective effects against the development of AD.

Anti-ulcerogenic effect of KFP-H008 against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer via p38 MAPK/NF-κB pathway

KFP-H008, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker developed for the treatment of acid-related diseases, has been reported to inhibit gastric acid secretion effectively, while its effects on gastric ulcer have not been previously explored.