Nrf2 signalling pathway and autophagy impact on the preventive effect of green tea extract against alcohol-induced liver injury

Role in Preventing Alcoholic Liver Disease Progression: A Comparative Study of Whole-Component Finger Citron Essential Oil and Its Major Component D-Limonene

Background/Objectives: Chronic alcohol overconsumption triggers alcohol liver injury, and therapeutic strategies targeting alcohol-triggered oxidative stress and hepatic inflammatory responses represent potential approaches to ameliorating alcohol-related hepatotoxicity. This study aimed to determine the hepatoprotective activity of finger citron essential oil (FCEO) in alcoholic liver disease (ALD)-afflicted rats and explore its underlying mechanisms. In order to identify the effective components, we compared the effects of FCEO and D-limonene. Methods: The regulatory effects of FCEO on metabolic enzymes were systematically evaluated through in vitro experiments. In vivo studies were conducted to investigate and compare the hepatoprotective effects of FCEO and D-limonene. Staining methods, assay kits, and Western Blot were used to determine the roles of FCEO and D-limonene in the ALD rats. Results: We found that FCEO downregulated phase I metabolic enzymes and upregulated phase II metabolic enzymes in Buffalo Rat Liver-3A (BRL-3A) cells. FCEO and/or D-limonene intervention reduced transaminase levels in ALD rats and effectively alleviated inflammatory cell infiltration and lipid droplet accumulation in their liver tissue. Additionally, FCEO and D-limonene played a regulatory role in oxidative stress and inflammation-related pathways such as the MAPK/Nrf2 and NF-κB/AMPK pathways. FCEO was superior to D-limonene as an antioxidant in alleviating alcoholic liver injury. Conclusions: This study revealed the alleviative effects and mechanisms of FCEO on alcoholic liver injury, demonstrating better efficacy compared to its monomer, thus providing a strategy for the development and utilization of finger citron resources.

Alcohol Plus Additional Risk Factors: Rodent Model of Liver Injury

Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), primarily caused by chronic excessive alcohol consumption, is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. ALD includes alcohol-associated steatotic liver, alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and can even progress to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Existing research indicates that the risk factors of ALD are quite numerous. In addition to drinking patterns, factors such as aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) deficiency, smoking, medication administration, high-fat diet (HFD), hepatitis virus infection, and disruption of circadian rhythms can also increase susceptibility to ALD. However, there is limited understanding regarding the exacerbation of liver injury by alcohol plus additional risk factors. This review presents rodent models of EtOH + "X," which simulate the synergistic effects of alcohol and additional risk factors in causing liver injury. These models offer a further exploration of the interactions between alcohol and additional risk factors, advancing the simulation of human ALD and providing a more reliable platform for studying disease mechanisms and exploring therapeutic interventions. We summarize the modeling methods, relevant indicators of liver injury, and focus on the targets of the synergistic effects as well as the associated mechanisms.

Potential mechanism of tea for treating osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis

Osteoporosis (OP), osteoarthritis (OA), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are common bone and joint diseases with a high incidence and long duration. Thus, these conditions can affect the lives of middle-aged and elderly people. Tea drinking is a traditional lifestyle in China, and the long-term intake of tea and its active ingredients is beneficial to human health. However, the mechanisms of action of tea and its active ingredients against OP, OA, and RA are not completely elucidated. This study aimed to assess the therapeutic role and related mechanisms of tea and its active ingredients in OP, OA, and RA. Moreover, it expanded the potential mechanisms of tea efficacy based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. Results showed that tea has potential anti-COX properties and hormone-like effects. Compared with a single component, different tea components synergize or antagonize each other, thereby resulting in a more evident dual effect. In conclusion, tea has great potential in the medical and healthcare fields. Nevertheless, further research on the composition, proportion, and synergistic mechanism of several tea components should be performed.

Transcriptome and proteomics conjoint analysis reveal anti-alcoholic liver injury effect of Dianhong Black Tea volatile substances

Dianhong Black Tea, a fermented tea containing various bioactive ingredients, has been found to have a significant role in alleviating alcoholic liver injury (ALI). One of its main unique components, Dianhong Black Tea volatile substances (DBTVS), may have potential anti-ALI effects. However, its effects and underlying molecular mechanisms are still unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential of DBTVS as an anti-ALI agent using alcohol-fed rats. We assessed the effect of DBTVS on ALI by analyzing serum transaminase and lipid levels, as well as conducting hematoxylin-eosin and oil red O staining. Additionally, GC-MS was used to detect the components of DBTVS, while transcriptome, proteomics analysis, Western blot, and molecular docking were employed to uncover the underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that DBTVS significantly reduced serum ALT and AST levels and improved lipid metabolism disorders. Moreover, we identified 14 components in DBTVS, with five of them exhibiting strong binding affinity with key proteins. These findings suggested that DBTVS could be a promising agent for the prevention and treatment of ALI. Its potential therapeutic effects may be attributed to its ability to regulate lipid metabolism through the PPAR signaling pathway.

A review of natural plant extracts in beverages: Extraction process, nutritional function, and safety evaluation

The demand for foods and beverages with therapeutic and functional features has increased as a result of rising consumer awareness of health and wellness. In natural, plants are abundant, widespread, and inexpensive, in addition to being rich in bioactive components that are beneficial to health. The bioactive substances contained in plants include polyphenols, polysaccharides, flavonoids, aromatics, aliphatics, terpenoids, etc., which have rich active functions and application potential for plant-based beverages. In this review, various existing extraction processes and their advantages and disadvantages are introduced. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, intestinal flora regulation, metabolism regulation, and nerve protection effects of plant beverages are described. The biotoxicity and sensory properties of plant-based beverages are also summarized. With the diversification of the food industry and commerce, plant-based beverages may become a promising new category of health functional foods in our daily lives.

Autophagy, Oxidative Stress, and Alcoholic Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and Potential Clinical Applications

Ethanol consumption triggers oxidative stress by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) through its metabolites. This process leads to steatosis and liver inflammation, which are critical for the development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Autophagy is a regulated dynamic process that sequesters damaged and excess cytoplasmic organelles for lysosomal degradation and may counteract the harmful effects of ROS-induced oxidative stress. These effects include hepatotoxicity, mitochondrial damage, steatosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation, and iron overload. In liver diseases, particularly ALD, macroautophagy has been implicated as a protective mechanism in hepatocytes, although it does not appear to play the same role in stellate cells. Beyond the liver, autophagy may also mitigate the harmful effects of alcohol on other organs, thereby providing an additional layer of protection against ALD. This protective potential is further supported by studies showing that drugs that interact with autophagy, such as rapamycin, can prevent ALD development in animal models. This systematic review presents a comprehensive analysis of the literature, focusing on the role of autophagy in oxidative stress regulation, its involvement in organ-organ crosstalk relevant to ALD, and the potential of autophagy-targeting therapeutic strategies.

Transcriptome Analysis of Protection by Dendrobium Nobile Alkaloids (DNLA) against Chronic Alcoholic Liver Injury in Mice

Objective: To investigate the protective effects of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. alkaloids (DNLA) against chronic alcoholic liver injury. C57BL/6J mice were fed with the Lieber−DeCarli alcohol diet to induce chronic alcoholic liver injury. DNLA (20 mg/kg/day) was gavaged along with the alcohol diet for 28 days. Liver injury was evaluated by serum enzymes. Triglyceride levels, histopathology, and transcriptome changes were examined by RNA-Seq and qPCR. DNLA decreased serum triglyceride levels in mice receiving alcohol. Hepatocyte degeneration and steatosis were ameliorated by DNLA, as evidenced by H&E and Oil-red O staining. DNLA brought the alcohol-induced aberrant gene expression pattern towards normal. Alcohol induced 787 differentially expressed genes (padj < 0.01). DNLA induced 280 differentially expressed genes to a much less extent. Ingenuity pathway analysis showed that DNLA ameliorated alcohol-induced oxidative stress and xenobiotic metabolism disruption. qPCR verified that DNLA alleviated over-activation of Cyp2a4, Cyp2b10, and Abcc4; attenuated oxidative stress (Hmox1, Gstm3, Nupr1), reduced the expression of Nrf2 genes (Nqo1, Gclc, Vldlr); and rescued some metabolic genes (Insig1, Xbp1, Socs3, Slc10a2). In conclusion, DNLA was effective against alcohol-induced fatty liver disease, and the protection may be attributed to alleviated oxidative stress and restored metabolism homeostasis, probably through modulating nuclear receptor CAR-, PXR-, and Nrf2-mediated gene expression pathways.

Natural products for migraine: Data-mining analyses of Chinese Medicine classical literature

Background: Treatment effect of current pharmacotherapies for migraine is unsatisfying. Discovering new anti-migraine natural products and nutraceuticals from large collections of Chinese medicine classical literature may assist to address this gap. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search in the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (version 5.0) to obtain migraine-related citations, then screened and scored these citations to identify clinical management of migraine using oral herbal medicine in history. Information of formulae, herbs and symptoms were further extracted. After standardisation, these data were analysed using frequency analysis and the Apriori algorithm. Anti-migraine effects and mechanisms of actions of the main herbs and formula were summarised. Results: Among 614 eligible citations, the most frequently used formula was chuan xiong cha tiao san (CXCTS), and the most frequently used herb was chuan xiong. Dietary medicinal herbs including gan cao, bai zhi, bo he, tian ma and sheng jiang were identified. Strong associations were constructed among the herb ingredients of CXCTS formula. Symptoms of chronic duration and unilateral headache were closely related with herbs of chuan xiong, gan cao, fang feng, qiang huo and cha. Symptoms of vomiting and nausea were specifically related to herbs of sheng jiang and ban xia. Conclusion: The herb ingredients of CXCTS which presented anti-migraine effects with reliable evidence of anti-migraine actions can be selected as potential drug discovery candidates, while dietary medicinal herbs including sheng jiang, bo he, cha, bai zhi, tian ma, and gan cao can be further explored as nutraceuticals for migraine.

The Molecular Mechanism of Polyphenols with Anti-Aging Activity in Aged Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Skin is the largest organ in the body comprised of three different layers including the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The dermis is mainly composed of dermal fibroblasts and extracellular matrix (ECM), such as collagen and elastin, which are strongly related to skin elasticity and firmness. Skin is continuously exposed to different kinds of environmental stimuli. For example, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, air pollutants, or smoking aggravates skin aging. These external stimuli accelerate the aging process by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated signaling pathways and even cause aging-related diseases. Skin aging is characterized by elasticity loss, wrinkle formation, a reduced dermal-epidermal junction, and delayed wound healing. Thus, many studies have shown that natural polyphenol compounds can delay the aging process by regulating age-related signaling pathways in aged dermal fibroblasts. This review first highlights the relationship between aging and its related molecular mechanisms. Then, we discuss the function and underlying mechanism of various polyphenols for improving skin aging. This study may provide essential insights for developing functional cosmetics and future clinical applications.