Morphological evidence for the antiatherogenic effect of scoparone in hyperlipidaemic diabetic rabbits

Scoparone inhibits pancreatic cancer through PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal system whose emerging resistance to chemotherapy has necessitated the development of novel antitumor treatments. Scoparone, a traditional Chinese medicine monomer with a wide range of pharmacological properties, has attracted considerable attention for its antitumor activity.

AIM

To explore the potential antitumor effect of scoparone on pancreatic cancer and the possible molecular mechanism of action.

METHODS

The target genes of scoparone were determined using both the bioinformatics and multiplatform analyses. The effect of scoparone on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle, and apoptosis was detected in vitro. The expression of hub genes was tested using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and the molecular mechanism was analyzed using Western blot. The in vivo effect of scoparone on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation was detected using a xenograft tumor model in nude mice as well as immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

The hub genes involved in the suppression of pancreatic cancer by scoparone were obtained by network bioinformatics analyses using publicly available databases and platforms, including SwissTargetPrediction, STITCH, GeneCards, CTD, STRING, WebGestalt, Cytoscape, and Gepia; AKT1 was confirmed using qRT-PCR to be the hub gene. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay revealed that the viability of Capan-2 and SW1990 cells was significantly reduced by scoparone treatment exhibiting IC50 values of 225.2 μmol/L and 209.1 μmol/L, respectively. Wound healing and transwell assays showed that scoparone inhibited the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. Additionally, flow cytometry confirmed that scoparone caused cell cycle arrest and induced apoptosis. Scoparone also increased the expression levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3, decreased the levels of MMP9 and Bcl-2, and suppressed the phosphorylation of Akt without affecting total PI3K and Akt. Moreover, compared with the control group, xenograft tumors, in the 200 μmol/L scoparone treatment group, were smaller in volume and lighter in weight, and the percentages of Ki65- and PCNA-positive cells were decreased.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that scoparone inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, inhibits migration and invasion, and induces cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Artemisia scoparia and Metabolic Health: Untapped Potential of an Ancient Remedy for Modern Use

Botanicals have a long history of medicinal use for a multitude of ailments, and many modern pharmaceuticals were originally isolated from plants or derived from phytochemicals. Among these, artemisinin, first isolated from Artemisia annua, is the foundation for standard anti-malarial therapies. Plants of the genus Artemisia are among the most common herbal remedies across Asia and Central Europe. The species Artemisia scoparia (SCOPA) is widely used in traditional folk medicine for various liver diseases and inflammatory conditions, as well as for infections, fever, pain, cancer, and diabetes. Modern in vivo and in vitro studies have now investigated SCOPA's effects on these pathologies and its ability to mitigate hepatotoxicity, oxidative stress, obesity, diabetes, and other disease states. This review focuses on the effects of SCOPA that are particularly relevant to metabolic health. Indeed, in recent years, an ethanolic extract of SCOPA has been shown to enhance differentiation of cultured adipocytes and to share some properties of thiazolidinediones (TZDs), a class of insulin-sensitizing agonists of the adipogenic transcription factor PPARγ. In a mouse model of diet-induced obesity, SCOPA diet supplementation lowered fasting insulin and glucose levels, while inducing metabolically favorable changes in adipose tissue and liver. These observations are consistent with many lines of evidence from various tissues and cell types known to contribute to metabolic homeostasis, including immune cells, hepatocytes, and pancreatic beta-cells. Compounds belonging to several classes of phytochemicals have been implicated in these effects, and we provide an overview of these bioactives. The ongoing global epidemics of obesity and metabolic disease clearly require novel therapeutic approaches. While the mechanisms involved in SCOPA's effects on metabolic, anti-inflammatory, and oxidative stress pathways are not fully characterized, current data support further investigation of this plant and its bioactives as potential therapeutic agents in obesity-related metabolic dysfunction and many other conditions.

Three new decenynol glucosides from Artemisia scoparia (Asteraceae)

Three new decenynol glucosides were isolated from the aerial parts of Artemisia scoparia. Their structures were determined to be 6E,8Z-decadien-4-yn-ol 1-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, 6E,8E-decadien-4-yn-ol 1-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, and 6E-decen-4-yn-ol 1-O-β-d-glucopyranoside based on extensive spectroscopic (NMR and MS) analysis. [Formula: see text].

Antioxidants and Atherosclerosis: Mechanistic Aspects

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease which is a major cause of coronary heart disease and stroke in humans. It is characterized by intimal plaques and cholesterol accumulation in arterial walls. The side effects of currently prescribed synthetic drugs and their high cost in the treatment of atherosclerosis has prompted the use of alternative herbal medicines, dietary supplements, and antioxidants associated with fewer adverse effects for the treatment of atherosclerosis. This article aims to present the activity mechanisms of antioxidants on atherosclerosis along with a review of the most prevalent medicinal plants employed against this multifactorial disease. The wide-ranging information in this review article was obtained from scientific databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar. Natural and synthetic antioxidants have a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis through different mechanisms. These include: The inhibition of low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, the reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, the inhibition of cytokine secretion, the prevention of atherosclerotic plaque formation and platelet aggregation, the preclusion of mononuclear cell infiltration, the improvement of endothelial dysfunction and vasodilation, the augmentation of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, the modulation of the expression of adhesion molecules such as vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) on endothelial cells, and the suppression of foam cell formation.

Inhibitory effects of scoparone from chestnut inner shell on platelet-derived growth factor-BB-induced vascular smooth muscle cell migration and vascular neointima hyperplasia

BACKGROUND

Compounds of the inner shell of chestnut (Castanea crenata) have diverse biological activities, including anti-cancer and anti-oxidant activities. Here we explored the effects of an extract of chestnut inner shells and of its bioactive component scoparone on vascular smooth muscle cell migration and vessel damage.

RESULTS

The ethanol extract of chestnut inner shells, containing 11 major compounds, inhibited platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB-induced migration of rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs). Among these compounds, scoparone (6,7-dimethoxycoumarin) suppressed RASMC migration and wound healing in response to PDGF-BB but did not affect RASMC proliferation. In RASMCs, scoparone inhibited the PDGF-BB-induced rat aortic sprout outgrowth and attenuated the PDGF-BB-mediated increase in phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), p38 MAPK and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. The in vivo administration of scoparone resulted in the attenuation of neointima formation in balloon-injured carotid arteries of rats.

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrate that scoparone, found in chestnut inner shells, may inhibit cell migration through suppression of the phosphorylation of MAPKs in PDGF-BB-treated RASMCs, probably contributing to the reduction of neointimal hyperplasia induced after vascular injury. Therefore, scoparone and chestnut inner shell may be a potential agent or functional food, respectively, for the prevention of vascular disorders such as vascular restenosis or atherosclerosis. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Anti-inflammatory effects of Artemisia scoparia and its active constituent, 3,5-dicaffeoyl-epi-quinic acid against activated mast cells

OBJECTIVES

Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kit. (AS) has been used to treat inflammation, urticaria and hepatitis. However, the scientific studies of AS and its active compound for inflammatory reactions in activated human mast cell line, HMC-1 cells have not yet been elucidated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Here, we isolated 3,5-dicaffeoyl-epi-quinic acid (DEQA) from AS butanol fraction. The anti-inflammatory effect of AS and its new active compound, DEQA was examined in HMC-1 cells by studying the following markers: phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and calcium ionophore A23187 (PMACI)-induced thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 secretion and mRNA expression by ELISA and RT-PCR, respectively. Furthermore, mechanism related to anti-inflammatory was examined by Western blotting.

RESULTS

We reported that AS and its new active compound, DEQA significantly reduced TSLP, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 production levels through the reduction of caspase-1 activity. The mRNA expression of these inflammatory cytokine was also reduced via blocking nuclear factor-κB nuclear translocation by AS and DEQA. In addition, AS significantly reduced phosphorylated-c-Jun N-terminal kinase level and DEQA significantly reduced both phosphorylated-c-Jun N-terminal kinase and -p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, these results indicated that AS and its active compound, DEQA may improve mast cell-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Sesquiterpene lactones and scopoletins from Artemisia scoparia Waldst. & Kit. and their angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory activities

Ten compounds, including a new guaiane-type sesquiterpene lactone, were isolated from the aerial parts of Artemisia scoparia. The structure of the new compound was determined to be 5-hydroxyguaia-3(4),11(13),10(14)-trien-6α,12-olide, named scoparanolide. Six known sesquiterpene lactones [estafiatone, 3β,4α-dihydroxyguaia-11(13),10(14)-dien-6α,12-olide, estafiatin, preeupatundin, 3β-hydroxycostunolide, and ludovicin B] and three known coumarin derivatives (scopoletin, scoparone, and isofraxidin) were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy. Six known sesquiterpene lactones were found for the first time in this plant. The angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory activities of coumarin derivatives and scopoletins were significantly higher compared to those of sesquiterpene lactones and quercetin.

Antihypertensive Effects of Artemisia scoparia Waldst in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats and Identification of Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme Inhibitors

We investigated the antihypertensive effects of Artemisia scoparia (AS) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The rats were fed diets containing 2% (w/w) hot water extracts of AS aerial parts for 6 weeks. The AS group had significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels than the control group. The AS group also had lower angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) activity and angiotensin II content in serum compared to the control group. The AS group showed higher vascular endothelial growth factor and lower ras homolog gene family member A expression levels in kidney compared to the control group. The AS group had significantly lower levels of plasma lipid oxidation and protein carbonyls than the control group. One new and six known compounds were isolated from AS by guided purification. The new compound was determined to be 4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoyl (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-enyl benzoate, based on its nuclear magnetic resonance and electrospray ionization-mass spectroscopy data.

Chinese Herbal Compounds for the Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis: Experimental Evidence and Mechanisms

Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. Research into the disease has led to many compelling hypotheses regarding the pathophysiology of atherosclerotic lesion formation and the resulting complications such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Herbal medicine has been widely used in China as well as other Asian countries for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases for hundreds of years; however, the mechanisms of action of Chinese herbal medicine in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis have not been well studied. In this review, we briefly describe the mechanisms of atherogenesis and then summarize the research that has been performed in recent years regarding the effectiveness and mechanisms of antiatherogenic Chinese herbal compounds in an attempt to build a bridge between traditional Chinese medicine and cellular and molecular cardiovascular medicine.

Capillin, a major constituent of Artemisia capillaris Thunb. flower essential oil, induces apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway in human leukemia HL-60 cells

BACKGROUND

Natural products are one of the most important sources of drugs used in pharmaceutical therapeutics. Screening of several natural products in the search for novel anticancer agents against human leukemia HL-60 cells led us to identify potent apoptosis-inducing activity in the essential oil fraction from Artemisia capillaris Thunb. flower.

METHODS

The cytotoxic effects of extracts were assessed on human leukemia HL-60 cells by XTT assay. Induction of apoptosis was assessed by analysis of DNA fragmentation and nuclear morphological change. The plant name was checked with the plant list website (http://www.theplantlist.org).

RESULTS

A purified compound from the essential oil fraction from Artemisia capillaris Thunb. flower that potently inhibited cell growth in human leukemia HL-60 cells was identified as capillin. The cytotoxic effect of capillin in cells was associated with apoptosis. When HL-60 cells were treated with 10(-6) M capillin for 6 h, characteristic features of apoptosis such as DNA fragmentation and nuclear fragmentation were observed. Moreover, activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) was detected after treatment with capillin preceding the appearance of characteristic properties of apoptosis. Release of cytochrome c from mitochondria was also observed in HL-60 cells that had been treated with capillin.

CONCLUSION

Capillin induces apoptosis in HL-60 cells via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, which might be controlled through JNK signaling. Our results indicate that capillin may be a potentially useful anticancer drug that could enhance therapeutic efficacy.

Determination of coumarins from aerial part of two Artemisia species

The methanolic and methanolic-water extracts were received from a blooming aerial part (herb) of two species: Artemisia gmelinii Webb ex Stechmann and Artemisia umbelliformis Lam. Two methods were used for extracting the plant material: Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) and Soxhlet Extraction. The analysis of samples was performed by the HPLC-DAD method. All obtained extracts were subjected to the process of the solid phase extraction. Samples for HPLC-DAD analysis were purified using C-18 (Octadecyl, 500 mg) Baker Bond (J.T. Baker, USA) SPE-micro-columns. The quantitative indications of individual constituents (coumarins) were converted into the content of scopoletin.

Goat Meat Does Not Cause Increased Blood Pressure

While there are persistent rumors that the consumption of goat meat dishes increases blood pressure, there is no scientific evidence to support this. Two experiments were conducted to clarify whether or not blood pressure increases in conjunction with the consumption of goat meat dishes. In experiment 1, 24 Dahl/Iwai rats (15 weeks old, body weight 309.3±11.1 g) were evenly separated into 4 groups. The control group (CP) was fed a diet containing 20% chicken and 0.3% salt on a dry matter basis. The goat meat group (GM) was fed a diet containing 20% goat meat and 0.3% salt. The goat meat/salt group (GS) was fed a diet containing 20% goat meant and 3% to 4% salt. The Okinawan mugwort (Artemisia Princeps Pampan)/salt group (GY) was fed a diet containing 20% goat meat, 3% to 4% salt and 5% of freeze-dried mugwort powder. The experiment 1 ran for a period of 14 weeks during which time the blood pressure of the animals was recorded. The GS, and GY groups consumed significantly more water (p<0.01) than the CP and GM groups despite the fact that their diet consumption levels were similar. The body weight of animals in the CP, GM, and GS groups was similar while the animals in the GY group were significantly smaller (p<0.01). The blood pressure in the GM group was virtually the same as the CP group throughout the course of the experiment. In contrast, while the blood pressure of the animals in the GS and GY group from 15 to 19 weeks old was the same as the CP group, their blood pressures were significantly higher (p<0.01) after 20 weeks of age. The GY group tended to have lower blood pressure than the GS group. In experiment 2, in order to clarify whether or not the increase in blood pressure in the GS group and the GY group in experiment 1 was caused by an excessive intake of salt, the effects on blood pressure of a reduction of salt in diet were investigated. When amount of salt in the diet of the GS and GY group was reduced from 4% to 0.3%, the animal’s blood pressure returned to normotensive. These results indicate that, as in the case of chicken consumption, prolonged consumption of goat meat does not cause increased blood pressure, rather the large amount of salt used in the preparation of goat meat dishes is responsible for the increase in blood pressure.

Artemisia scoparia extract attenuates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in diet-induced obesity mice by enhancing hepatic insulin and AMPK signaling independently of FGF21 pathway

OBJECTIVE

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disease which has no standard treatment. In this regard, we sought to evaluate the effects of extracts of Artemisia santolinaefolia (SANT) and Artemisia scoparia (SCO) on hepatic lipid deposition and cellular signaling in a diet-induced obesity (DIO) animal model.

MATERIALS/METHODS

DIO C57/B6J mice were randomly divided into three groups, i.e. HFD, SANT and SCO. Both extracts were incorporated into HFD at a concentration of 0.5% (w/w). Fasting plasma glucose, insulin, adiponectin, and FGF21 concentrations were measured.

RESULTS

At the end of the 4-week intervention, liver tissues were collected for analysis of insulin, AMPK, and FGF21 signaling. SANT and SCO supplementation significantly increased plasma adiponectin levels when compared with the HFD mice (P<0.001). Fasting insulin levels were significantly lower in the SCO than HFD mice, but not in SANT group. Hepatic H&E staining showed fewer lipid droplets in the SCO group than in the other two groups. Cellular signaling data demonstrated that SCO significantly increased liver IRS-2 content, phosphorylation of IRS-1, IR β, Akt1 and Akt2, AMPK α1 and AMPK activity and significantly reduced PTP 1B abundance when compared with the HFD group. SCO also significantly decreased fatty acid synthase (FAS), HMG-CoA Reductase (HMGR), and Sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1c), but not Carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-1) when compared with HFD group. Neither SANT nor SCO significantly altered plasma FGF21 concentrations and liver FGF21 signaling.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that SCO may attenuate liver lipid accumulation in DIO mice. Contributing mechanisms were postulated to include promotion of adiponectin expression, inhibition of hepatic lipogenesis, and/or enhanced insulin and AMPK signaling independent of FGF21 pathway.

Protective effect of the silkworm protein 30Kc6 on human vascular endothelial cells damaged by oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL)

Although the 30K family proteins are important anti-apoptotic molecules in silkworm hemolymph, the underlying mechanism remains to be investigated. This is especially the case in human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). In this study, a 30K protein, 30Kc6, was successfully expressed and purified using the Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression system in silkworm cells. Furthermore, the 30Kc6 expressed in Escherichia coli was used to generate a polyclonal antibody. Western blot analysis revealed that the antibody could react specifically with the purified 30Kc6 expressed in silkworm cells. The In vitro cell apoptosis model of HUVEC that was induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) and in vivo atherosclerosis rabbit model were constructed and were employed to analyze the protective effects of the silkworm protein 30Kc6 on these models. The results demonstrated that the silkworm protein 30Kc6 significantly enhanced the cell viability in HUVEC cells treated with Ox-LDL, decreased the degree of DNA fragmentation and markedly reduced the level of 8-isoprostane. This could be indicative of the silkworm protein 30Kc6 antagonizing the Ox-LDL-induced cell apoptosis by inhibiting the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Furthermore, Ox-LDL activated the cell mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK), especially JNK and p38. As demonstrated with Western analysis, 30Kc6 inhibited Ox-LDL-induced cell apoptosis in HUVEC cells by preventing the MAPK signaling pathways. In vivo data have demonstrated that oral feeding of the silkworm protein 30Kc6 dramatically improved the conditions of the atherosclerotic rabbits by decreasing serum levels of total triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC). Furthermore, 30Kc6 alleviated the extent of lesions in aorta and liver in the atherosclerotic rabbits. These data are not only helpful in understanding the anti-apoptotic mechanism of the 30K family proteins, but also provide important information on prevention and treatment of human cardiovascular diseases.

Hypolipidaemic Effect of Hericium erinaceum Grown in Artemisia capillaris on Obese Rats

In this study, ethanolic extracts from Hericium erinaceum cultivated with Artemisia capillaris (HEAC) were assessed for their ability to lower the cholesterol levels of male Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat diet. Rats were randomly subdivided into seven test groups. Each group contained eight rats fed a high-fat diet during a growth period lasting 4 wk. Supplementation with the extracts was performed once a day for 2 wk after the high-fat diet. The control group (rats fed a high-fat diet) showed a high efficiency ratio (feed efficiency ratio) value compared to the normal group. Biochemical parameters, including total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), and triglyceride (TG) levels dramatically increased in the control group compared to the normal group. High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) content in the control group was also significantly lower relative to the normal group. Two positive control groups, treated with simvastatin and atorvastatin, had lowered TC, LDL-c, and TG levels, and increased HDL-c content compared to the control group. Treatment with the tested extracts, including HEAC, ethanolic extracts from Hericium erinaceum, and ethanolic extracts from Artemisia capillaris reduced TC, LDL-c, and TG levels and elevated HDL-c content in the hyperlipidemia rats. The atherogenic index and cardiac risk factor values for the HEAC-treated group were 0.95 and 1.95, respectively. Simvastatin- and atorvastatin-treated groups showed atherogenic index values of 1.56 and 1.69, respectively, and cardiac risk factor values of 2.56 and 2.69, respectively. These results show HEAC possesses an ability to cure hyperlipidemia in rats and may serve as an effective natural medicine for treating hyperlipidemia in humans.

Inhibitory activity of coumarins from Artemisia capillaris against advanced glycation endproduct formation

Since glycation can lead to the onset of diabetic complications due to chronic hyperglycemia, several indigenous Artemisia species were evaluated as potential inhibitors of advanced glycation endproducts (AGE). Among them, the Artemisia capillaris plant demonstrated the highest AGE inhibitory activity. Repeated column chromatography was performed to isolate a new acylated flavonoid glycoside, acacetin-7-O-(6″-O-acetyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl]-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside, along with 11 known flavonoids (acacetin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl]-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside, linarin, quercetin, hyperoside, isorhamnetin, isorhamnetin 3-galactoside, isorhamnetin 3-glucoside, isorhamnetin 3-arabinoside, isorhamnetin 3-robinobioside, arcapillin, and cirsilineol), six coumarins (umbelliferone, esculetin, scopoletin, scopolin, isoscopolin, and scoparone), and two phenolic derivatives (4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid and chlorogenic acid). In determining the structure-activity relationship (SAR), it was found that the presence and position of hydroxyl group of test coumarins (coumarin, esculin, isoscopoletin, daphnetin, 4-methylcoumarin, and six isolated coumarins) may play a crucial role in AGE inhibition. A free hydroxyl group at C-7 and a glucosyl group instead of a methoxyl group at C-6 are two important parameters for the inhibitory potential of coumarins on AGE formation. A. capillaris and five key AGE inhibitors, including 4,5-di-Ocaffeoylquinic acid, umbelliferone, esculetin, esculin, and scopoletin, were identified as potential candidates for use as therapeutic or preventive agents for diabetic complications and oxidative stress-related diseases. We understand this to be the first detailed study on the SAR of coumarins in AGE inhibition.

Cytoprotective effect of Artemisia capillaris fractions on oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in V79 cells

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of Artemisia capillaris on the viability, antioxidant status, and cytoprotective against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide in V79 cells. Pretreatment with ethyl acetate fraction increased 363% cell viability compared to the positive control (PC). The ethyl acetate fraction of A. capillaris scavenged intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased the activities of cellular antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), and catalase (CAT), and also increased glutathione (GSH) content. It thereby prevented lipid peroxidation which was demonstrated by the inhibition of the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS). Furthermore, ethyl acetate fraction reduced the apoptotic cells and cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase induced by H(2)O(2). These findings suggest that A. capillaris ethyl acetate fraction protected V79 cells against H(2)O(2) damage, by enhancing the antioxidative activity.

Hypoglycemic herbs and their action mechanisms

Conventional drugs treat diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity, increasing insulin production and/or decreasing the amount of glucose in blood. Several herbal preparations are used to treat diabetes, but their reported hypoglycemic effects are complex or even paradoxical in some cases. This article reviews recent findings about some of the most popular hypoglycemic herbs, such as ginseng, bitter melon and Coptis chinensis. Several popular commercially available herbal preparations are also discussed, including ADHF (anti-diabetes herbal formulation), Jiangtangkeli, YGD (Yerbe Mate-Guarana-Damiana) and BN (Byakko-ka-ninjin-to). The efficacy of hypoglycemic herbs is achieved by increasing insulin secretion, enhancing glucose uptake by adipose and muscle tissues, inhibiting glucose absorption from intestine and inhibiting glucose production from heptocytes.